Diagnostic markers for diagnosing dementia with Lewy bodies: CSF and MIBG cardiac scintigraphy study

Objective: This study examined the diagnostic value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers and iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-121-MIBG) cardiac scintigraphy in distinguishing dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: CSF levels of amyloid beta 1-42 (A beta 42) and 181-Thr phosphorylated tau (p-tau) were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. I-123-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy was performed in patients with AD and DLB, and control (CTL) subjects. Results: Increased CSF levels of p-tau in AD were found compared to DLB patients and CTL subjects (P<0.01), but there was no significant difference in CSF levels of A 42 between AD and DLB patients. The early and delayed heart to mediastinum (H/M) ratios of I-123-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy were significantly decreased in patients with DLB compared to AD patients and CTL subjects (P<0.01). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the diagnostic value of I-123-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy was superior to that of CSF markers. Conclusions: I-123-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy may be useful for discriminating between DLB and AD. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.