Age-Dependent Differences in Blood Levels of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein but Not Ubiquitin Carboxy-Terminal Hydrolase L1 in Children. Neurology 2024 Aug 13;103(3):e209651
Date
07/10/2024Pubmed ID
38986044Pubmed Central ID
PMC11238939DOI
10.1212/WNL.0000000000209651Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85198492114 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 1 CitationAbstract
OBJECTIVES: Despite the growing evidence of the clinical utility of blood-brain biomarkers in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI), less is known about the performance of these biomarkers in children. We characterize age-dependent differences in levels of ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in children without TBI.
METHODS: Plasma biobank specimens from children and adolescents aged 0-<19 years without TBI were obtained, and UCH-L1 and GFAP levels were quantified. The relationship between age and biomarker expression was determined using previously defined aged epochs (<3.5 years, 3.5 years to <11 years, 11 years and older), then biomarker levels were compared with established thresholds for ruling out the need for a head CT in adults with a mild TBI (mTBI) (UCH-L1 400 pg/mL, GFAP 35 pg/mL).
RESULTS: The age range of the 366 control patients was 3 months-18 years. There was a significant negative association between age and GFAP but not UCH-L1. Only 1.4% of samples exceeded the UCH-L1 cutoff; however, 20% of samples exceeded the GFAP cutoff and 100% children younger than 3.5 years had values that exceeded the cutoff.
DISCUSSION: Age seems to modify physiologic plasma GFAP levels. Diagnostic cutoffs for TBI based on GFAP but not UCH-L1 and may need to be adjusted in children younger than 11 years.
Author List
Mannix R, Borglund E, Monashefsky A, Master C, Corwin D, Badawy M, Thomas DG, Reisner AAuthor
Danny G. Thomas MD, MPH Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAge Factors
Biomarkers
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
