GPs could soon be able to screen patients for Alzheimer’s disease using a finger-prick test.
The test, which is the size of a credit card, uses “needle in a haystack” precision to detect protein biomarkers of the condition before symptoms progress.
It detects the disease using sensor technology which can detect ultra low concentrations of disease markers in blood in minutes.
The device was developed by researchers at Monash University in Melbourne.
There is no single test for Alzheimer’s in the UK and a diagnosis is currently based on a combination of assessments. Patients are usually examined by their GP and a neurologist before undergoing a brain scan.
However, the latest figures show that just 2 per cent of people are able to access tests such as PET scans or lumbar punctures, which are only available in around one in 20 memory clinics.
Sudha Mokkapati, associate professor at the university’s Materials Science and Engineering department, said the process could remove the need for laboratory-based pathology tests and speed up diagnosis.
“It's simple to use, low-cost and portable so it could be made widely accessible to GPs to screen patients right at the point-of-care. Detecting very early disease in large populations could dramatically change the trajectory of this burdening disease for many patients, and shave millions off associated health care costs,” she said.
“We've completed testing that shows the technology is highly advanced by design and capable of detecting ultra low levels of several disease biomarkers in blood. The next stage is to undertake the clinical validation needed to bring this a step closer to reality, and we're reliant on further funding to progress this.”
Associate Professor Matthew Pase, at Monash's School of Psychological Sciences, said the device may facilitate earlier, more efficient diagnosis of the condition.
"Most patients with neurodegenerative disease are typically diagnosed at advanced stages. Sadly, treatments targeting late-onset disease provide limited therapeutic benefit," Prof Pase said.
"Earlier screening could change the outlook for many patients diagnosed with cognitive impairment, increasing the chance of halting or slowing symptom development and the rapid progression of the disease."
Separately, University College London and Oxford University are trialling a blood test that could speed up diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
The trials could help detect proteins in people with early stages of dementia and those who have mild or progressive problems with memory.
The blood tests could be ready for use in the NHS within five years.
