Combined measurement of PEDF, haptoglobin and tau in cerebrospinal fluid improves the diagnostic discrimination between alzheimer's disease and other dementias

Using proteomic approach in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) we identified pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and Haptoglobin (Hp) as putative markers that could discriminate between AD and other dementias. ELISA assays were developed to measure the levels of PEDF and Hp in CSF from patients with AD (AD, n == 27), non-AD (NAD, n == 30) and in non-demented patients (ND, n == 27). The combined assessment of PEDF, Hp and Tau levels, using Iterative Marginal Optimization, improved the differential diagnosis of AD, especially in patients with moderate to severe dementia (p < 0.002). This pilot study highlights the probable different contribution of oxidative mechanisms in dementia.