A newly published study found that positron emission tomography (PET) scans used to detect plaques related to Alzheimer’s disease may influence the care and diagnoses received by patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.
More specifically, the results of the research showed that in about two-thirds of cases, clinicians who received information from their patients’ PET scans went on to change medical management regarding medications or counseling within 90 days.
The participant pool included 11,409 men and women from across the nation living with MCI or dementia of an uncertain cause. They were an average age of 75, and were all Medicare beneficiaries. Participants came from a multisite, longitudinal study known as the Imaging Dementia—Evidence for Amyloid Scanning (IDEAS) study.
| The findings, published April 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), included data from Penn Memory Center (PMC), as well as nearly 600 sites across the U.S. PMC enrolled patients in the IDEAS study during the fall of 2017, as previously discussed in this article. “We are impressed by the magnitude of these results, which make it clear that amyloid PET imaging can have a major impact on how we diagnose and care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive decline,” said study lead author and principal investigator Gil Rabinovici, MD, of the UCSF Memory and Aging Center. Though the FDA has approved amyloid PET tracers, use of amyloid PET imaging to assist with the accurate diagnosis of the cause of someone’s dementia is currently not covered by Medicare or health insurance plans, due to a 2013 decision. In response, the IDEAS study was formed. In just 19 months, 946 physicians registered 16,008 participants across the nation. Of those, 11,409 completed the study. “The rapid enrollment of such a large number of participants reflect the enthusiasm of both patients and dementia specialists for clinical application of amyloid PET imaging,” Clifford R. Jack, Jr., MD and Ronald C. Petersen, MD, PhD, wrote in an accompanying editorial published in JAMA. However, Drs. Jack and Petersen note one disappointing aspect was how few nonwhite patients participated in the study. “This reflects a challenge that limits the generalizability of the findings,” they write. “Clearly, the field needs to embrace this challenge, and CMS would likely be more favorable toward providing coverage if data were available from a more representative sampling of the population.” It’s not yet known whether the changes in management recommendations improved patient outcomes. During the second phase of the study, which ended in February 2019, the researchers followed patients for one year to see whether those who had a PET scan had fewer visits to the hospital or emergency room. Those findings should be published by 2020, according to Alzforum. Job Opportunity We’re seeking a Clinical Research Coordinator A to support the research and administrative activities of the Penn Program for Precision Medicine for the Brain, directed by Jason Karlawish, MD, and a team of faculty collaborators and research staff. This group examines the ethical, legal, and social issues related to the aging brain with a particular focus on Alzheimer’s disease. Current research focuses on understanding the experiences of individuals with ‘pre-clinical’ Alzheimer’s disease and the social and cultural transformations of Alzheimer’s disease. For more information and to apply, click here.Now Enrolling: ‘Time Out’ ProgramTime Out, an award-winning mentorship and respite care program, is recruiting students and families. Private respite care often costs more than $20 an hour, but Time Out care providers will be available for $8.50 an hour for up to 10 hours per week. For more information about the program and services provided, click here. Families who would like to register or learn more should contact Alison Lynn, MSW, LCSW, at alison.lynn@uphs.upenn.edu or 215-360-0257. College students who would like to register or learn more should contact Roynell Sanders at timeout@temple.edu and register for an information session at http://tinyurl.com/timeout2019 |
Upcoming Events VITAS Healthcare is hosting two, free workshops to assist with advance care planning. Anyone over 18 years of age is welcome, but the workshops are especially geared toward seniors who don’t yet have a living will (also known as an advance directive). The sessions will be held on Tuesday, April 16 and Wednesday, April 17. For more information, click here. Space is limited. RSVP by April 15 to Sara Burns at Sara.Burns@VITAS.com Dance for Health, a free weekly dance class for older adults, has returned to the Ralston Center. It’s held every Saturday between March 16 and May 11 (excluding April 20) at 3615 Chestnut Street. The program is open to all adults 55 or older. To RSVP, contact Terrence Casey at tjcasey@upenn.edu or 215-898-9979. Creative Expression Through Music, a collaboration between PMC and the Curtis Institute of Music, is a new, free program for PMC patients experiencing memory change or those with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia. It’s intended to provide participants with a greater understanding of music, fun new tools for interacting through sound, and creative musical experience that flex their imaginations. Beginners are welcome. Session One will engage participants in collaborative, creative musical experiences and will assess their impact on participants’ mood and well-being. Session Two will focus on creating new music and building the skills and activities of Session One. Registration for Session One is now closed, but Session Two is still enrolling.Session Two will meet from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. on March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. All sessions are held at The Curtis Institute of Music in Lenfest Hall, Room LH314. If you’d like to register or have questions, contact Matthew Volpe at matthew.volpe@uphs.upenn.edu. The next Memory Café will be held on Friday, May 17 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Christ Church Neighborhood House in Old City. Svitanya, an Eastern European women’s vocal group, will be performing. Memory Café is exclusively for people with memory problems, including Alzheimer’s disease, and their partners/families. The program is free. Please RSVP to Alison Lynn at 215-360-0257 or alison.lynn@uphs.upenn.edu. All 2019 dates are posted here. Penn Neuroscience is hosting a Spring 2019 Public Lecture series. The lecture called, “We can, but should we? Ethical considerations in modern neuroscience,” will be held on Thursday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Rubensrein Auditorium, Smilow Center for Translational Research. This FREE Lecture series will feature 15-minute TED-style talks from three leading Penn researchers, including PMC physician Roy Hamilton, MD, MS. Check-in begins at 6 p.m. Please register here for the event. Sincerely, The PMC Communications Team Terrence Casey, Joyce Lee, Janissa Delzo, Linnea Langkammer, and Sharnita Midgett |