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Faraz Ahmed T, Bilal Azmi M, Imtiaz F, Zaman U, Ahmed A, Shahbaz N. Plasma levels of phosphorylated tau and neurofilament light chain as potential biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease: A biochemical analysis in Pakistani population. Saudi Pharm J 2023; 31:1202-1209. [PMID: 37273267 PMCID: PMC10236364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association's research framework in 2018 proposed a molecular construct for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nonetheless, the clinical exclusionary strategy is still the mainstay of AD diagnosis in Pakistan. We looked at the plasma levels of amyloid beta-42 (Aβ-42), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), and neurofilament light (NFL) in patients with Alzheimer's clinical syndrome (ACS) and healthy controls (HC) from the Pakistani population to keep pace with the global efforts towards establishing accessible and affordable biochemical diagnostic markers for AD in Pakistan. Consultant neurologists screened patients who presented with cognitive impairment to three large tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, and after receiving informed consent, recruited participants with ACS and HC from the same facilities. We collected 5cc of blood in EDTA tubes along with demographic and lifestyle information of the subjects. Plasma aliquots were stored at -80°C after centrifugation. For analysis it was thawed at 4℃ and levels of the three proteins were measured through ELISA. Data from 28 ACS patients and 28 age matched healthy controls were evaluated. Among demographic factors, education and depression were related with health status (p = 0.03 and 0.003, respectively). NFL and P-tau mean values demonstrated a significant difference between the ACS and control groups (p = 0.003 and 0.006), however Aβ42 did not (p = 0.114). ROC analysis showed that plasma P-tau and NFL, with AUCs of 0.717 and 0.735, respectively, could substantially distinguish ACS from the HC group (p = 0.007 and 0.003, respectively). Both plasma P-tau (r = -0.389; p = 0.004) and NFL (r = -0.424; p = 0.001) levels were significantly and negatively correlated with individuals' MMSE scores. NFL and plasma P-tau show promise in differentiating AD patients from healthy individuals. However, similar larger studies are needed to validate our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tehniat Faraz Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry, Dow International Dental College, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), 74200 Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Bilal Azmi
- Department of Biochemistry, Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), 74200 Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Fauzia Imtiaz
- Department of Biochemistry, Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), 74200 Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Uzma Zaman
- Department of Biochemistry, Dow International Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), 74200 Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Affan Ahmed
- Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), 74200 Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Naila Shahbaz
- Department of Neurology, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, 74400 Karachi, Pakistan
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Mirza N, Waheed MW, Waheed W. A new tool for assessing the cultural adaptation of cognitive tests: demonstrating the utility of the Manchester Translation Evaluation Checklist (MTEC) through the Mini-Mental State Examination Urdu. BJPsych Open 2022; 9:e5. [PMID: 36533559 PMCID: PMC9798223 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2022.620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low- and middle-income countries contribute to the majority of dementia and mild cognitive impairment cases worldwide, yet cognitive tests for diagnosis are designed for Western cultures. Language and cultural discrepancies mean that translated tests are not always reliable or valid. We propose a model for culturally adapting cognitive tests, one step of which is to assess the quality of any translation and cultural adaptation undertaken. We developed the Manchester Translation Evaluation Checklist (MTEC) to act as a tool for quality assessment and demonstrated its use by assessing a popular cognitive test that had been adapted. AIMS Assess quality of the translation and cultural adaptation of the Urdu Mini-Mental State Examination developed for a Pakistani population. METHOD Two raters completed the MTEC for the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) Urdu and compared feedback. All authors were fluent in English and Urdu and familiar with Pakistani culture. RESULTS Raters had 78.5% agreement across the MTEC. The MMSE Urdu was appropriately translated and retained grammar and verb tense, but three questions had spelling errors. Across 20 MMSE questions, 5 required further cultural adaptation because the questions were not understandable in daily use, comfortable to answer, relevant to the language and culture, and relevant to original concepts. CONCLUSIONS The MTEC highlighted errors in the MMSE Urdu and demonstrated how this tool can be used to improve it. Future studies could employ the MTEC to improve existing translated measures of health assessment, particularly cognitive tests, and act as a quality check when developing new adaptations of tests and before psychometric validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Mirza
- Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, University of Manchester, UK
| | | | - Waquas Waheed
- Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, University of Manchester, UK
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Malik A, Ahmed M, Mansoor S, Ambreen S, Usman B, Shehryar M. Cognitive Impairment in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cureus 2022; 14:e22193. [PMID: 35308758 PMCID: PMC8925983 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.22193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine the incidence of cognitive impairment established on the mini-mental state assessment in type 2 diabetic patients presenting at Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi. Materials and methods This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out from June 2019 to December 2019. Individuals with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus were included, and detailed history, physical examination, and biochemical variables were noted. They were assessed through Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (Urdu translation) to look for the primary outcome variable, i.e., cognitive impairment. All patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosed at least one year back, irrespective of gender, were included in this investigation. Patients with a previous history of head injury, epilepsy, stroke, those on an antidepressant or antipsychotic medications, those with deranged renal function tests, and those already diagnosed with dementia were excluded from the study. Results Three hundred thirty-two patients meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The mean ± standard deviation age of the study population was 65.32 ± 11.33 years, with maximum age being 80 years and the minimum being 50 years. Two hundred patients (60.24%) were below 65 years of age, and 132 patients (39.76%) were 65 years of age or above. Two hundred sixteen (65.06%) were males, and 116 (34.96%) were females. The mean duration of diabetes mellitus (DM) was 10.17 ± 4.81. The mean MMSE score was 22.69 ± 5.26. Out of 332 patients, 81 (24.4%) patients had cognitive impairment. Patients who were 65 or older had a significantly higher proportion of cognitive impairment, compared to those below 65 years of age (p-value = 0.0214). There was no significant difference in the proportion of cognitively impaired patients between males and females (p-value = 0.2497). Similarly, there was no significant difference between those who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for 10 years or more and those who were diagnosed less than 10 years ago (p-value = 0.3791). Conclusion Cognitive impairment is common in individuals having type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is also associated with the increasing age of diabetic patients. However, cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes mellitus is not associated with gender. In addition, there is no significant difference in cognitive impairment between the patients who were diagnosed with diabetes more than 10 years ago and those who had it diagnosed less than 10 years ago.
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Ahmed U, Karimi H, Gilani SA, Ahmad A. Translation and validation of the stroke impact scale 3.0 into urdu for Pakistan. NeuroRehabilitation 2021; 49:391-402. [PMID: 34420984 DOI: 10.3233/nre-210064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Stroke Impact Scale version 3.0 (SIS 3.0) is a self-reported outcome measure designed to assess quality of life (QoL) following a stroke. Although the psychometric properties of the SIS 3.0 are identified as superior to the generic QoL scales, it has not been translated and tested in Pakistan. OBJECTIVE To validate the Urdu version of the SIS 3.0 (USIS 3.0) for Pakistan. METHODS A prospective cohort of 116 patients with mild to moderate stroke reported their recovery using the USIS 3.0. The patients were concurrently assessed on the established tools to assess the validity and were re-evaluated to determine the test-retest reliability, precision, minimal detectable change (MDC), and minimal clinically important difference (MCID). RESULTS The reliability and internal consistency of USIS were satisfactory except for the emotion domain. The correlations of USIS with the established tools were strong. The discriminant validity was also significant across the levels of the modified Rankin scale (MRS). Only hand function and communication domains exhibited significant floor and ceiling effects, respectively. Regarding weighted K, values ranged from 0.53 to 0.88. CONCLUSIONS The USIS 3.0 has satisfactory psychometric properties and can be used in clinical and research settings for stroke survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umair Ahmed
- University Institute of Physical Therapy, The University of Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hossein Karimi
- University Institute of Physical Therapy, The University of Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Syed Amir Gilani
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ashfaq Ahmad
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Pakistan
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Willis R, Zaidi A, Balouch S, Farina N. Experiences of People With Dementia in Pakistan: Help-Seeking, Understanding, Stigma, and Religion. THE GERONTOLOGIST 2020; 60:145-154. [PMID: 30452635 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gny143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The prevalence of dementia will increase in low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan. Specialist dementia services are rare in Pakistan. Public awareness of dementia is low, and norms about family care can lead to stigma. Religion plays a role in caregiving, but the interaction between dementia and Islam is less clear. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Qualitative interviews were carried out with 20 people with dementia in Karachi and Lahore. Interviews were conducted in Urdu, translated to English, and respondents' views on help-seeking experiences, understanding of diagnosis, stigma, and religion were analyzed thematically. RESULTS Although some people with dementia understood what dementia is, others did not. This finding shows a more positive perspective on diagnosis in Pakistan than previously thought. Help-seeking was facilitated by social and financial capital, and clinical practice. Stigma was more common within the family than in the community. Dementia symptoms had a serious impact on religious obligations such as daily prayers. Participants were unaware that dementia exempts them from certain religious obligations. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Understanding of dementia was incomplete despite all participants having a formal diagnosis. Pathways to help-seeking need to be more widely accessible. Clarification is needed about exemption from religious obligations due to cognitive impairment, and policy makers would benefit from engaging with community and religious leaders on this topic. The study is novel in identifying the interaction between dementia symptoms and Islamic obligatory daily prayers, and how this causes distress among people living with dementia and family caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalind Willis
- Centre for Research on Ageing, Department of Gerontology, School of Economic, Social, and Political Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Asghar Zaidi
- Department of Social Welfare, College of Social Sciences, Seoul National University, Korea
| | - Sara Balouch
- Centre for Dementia Studies, Neuroscience, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK
| | - Nicolas Farina
- Centre for Dementia Studies, Neuroscience, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK
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Webster L, Groskreutz D, Grinbergs-Saull A, Howard R, O'Brien JT, Mountain G, Banerjee S, Woods B, Perneczky R, Lafortune L, Roberts C, McCleery J, Pickett J, Bunn F, Challis D, Charlesworth G, Featherstone K, Fox C, Goodman C, Jones R, Lamb S, Moniz-Cook E, Schneider J, Shepperd S, Surr C, Thompson-Coon J, Ballard C, Brayne C, Burke O, Burns A, Clare L, Garrard P, Kehoe P, Passmore P, Holmes C, Maidment I, Murtagh F, Robinson L, Livingston G. Development of a core outcome set for disease modification trials in mild to moderate dementia: a systematic review, patient and public consultation and consensus recommendations. Health Technol Assess 2017; 21:1-192. [PMID: 28625273 PMCID: PMC5494514 DOI: 10.3310/hta21260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is currently no disease-modifying treatment available to halt or delay the progression of the disease pathology in dementia. An agreed core set of the best-available and most appropriate outcomes for disease modification would facilitate the design of trials and ensure consistency across disease modification trials, as well as making results comparable and meta-analysable in future trials. OBJECTIVES To agree a set of core outcomes for disease modification trials for mild to moderate dementia with the UK dementia research community and patient and public involvement (PPI). DATA SOURCES We included disease modification trials with quantitative outcomes of efficacy from (1) references from related systematic reviews in workstream 1; (2) searches of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group study register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature and PsycINFO on 11 December 2015, and clinical trial registries [International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) and clinicaltrials.gov] on 22 and 29 January 2016; and (3) hand-searches of reference lists of relevant systematic reviews from database searches. REVIEW METHODS The project consisted of four workstreams. (1) We obtained related core outcome sets and work from co-applicants. (2) We systematically reviewed published and ongoing disease modification trials to identify the outcomes used in different domains. We extracted outcomes used in each trial, recording how many used each outcome and with how many participants. We divided outcomes into the domains measured and searched for validation data. (3) We consulted with PPI participants about recommended outcomes. (4) We presented all the synthesised information at a conference attended by the wider body of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) dementia researchers to reach consensus on a core set of outcomes. RESULTS We included 149 papers from the 22,918 papers screened, referring to 125 individual trials. Eighty-one outcomes were used across trials, including 72 scales [31 cognitive, 12 activities of daily living (ADLs), 10 global, 16 neuropsychiatric and three quality of life] and nine biological techniques. We consulted with 18 people for PPI. The conference decided that only cognition and biological markers are core measures of disease modification. Cognition should be measured by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) or the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), and brain changes through structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a subset of participants. All other domains are important but not core. We recommend using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory for neuropsychiatric symptoms: the Disability Assessment for Dementia for ADLs, the Dementia Quality of Life Measure for quality of life and the Clinical Dementia Rating scale to measure dementia globally. LIMITATIONS Most of the trials included participants with Alzheimer's disease, so recommendations may not apply to other types of dementia. We did not conduct economic analyses. The PPI consultation was limited to members of the Alzheimer's Society Research Network. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive outcomes and biological markers form the core outcome set for future disease modification trials, measured by the MMSE or ADAS-Cog, and structural MRI in a subset of participants. FUTURE WORK We envisage that the core set may be superseded in the future, particularly for other types of dementia. There is a need to develop an algorithm to compare scores on the MMSE and ADAS-Cog. STUDY REGISTRATION The project was registered with Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials [ www.comet-initiative.org/studies/details/819?result=true (accessed 7 April 2016)]. The systematic review protocol is registered as PROSPERO CRD42015027346. FUNDING The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Webster
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Derek Groskreutz
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Rob Howard
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - John T O'Brien
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gail Mountain
- School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sube Banerjee
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Bob Woods
- Dementia Services Development Centre Wales, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Robert Perneczky
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Louise Lafortune
- Cambridge Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Charlotte Roberts
- International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement, London, UK
| | | | | | - Frances Bunn
- Centre for Research in Primary and Community Care, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - David Challis
- Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Georgina Charlesworth
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Chris Fox
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Claire Goodman
- Centre for Research in Primary and Community Care, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - Roy Jones
- Research Institute for the Care of Older People, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Sallie Lamb
- Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Esme Moniz-Cook
- Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Justine Schneider
- Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Sasha Shepperd
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Claire Surr
- School of Health & Community Studies, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
| | - Jo Thompson-Coon
- Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Clive Ballard
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Carol Brayne
- Cambridge Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Orlaith Burke
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alistair Burns
- Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Linda Clare
- Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - Peter Garrard
- Neuroscience Research Centre, St George's, University of London, UK
| | - Patrick Kehoe
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Peter Passmore
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Clive Holmes
- School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Ian Maidment
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Fliss Murtagh
- Cicely Saunders Institute, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Louise Robinson
- Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Gill Livingston
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- North Thames Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care, London, UK
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