Exploring the Clinical use of Blood GFAP as an emerging Biomarker in Brain/Spinal cord Disorders and Neurological Diseases.

A Systematic Evidence-based Overview.

The introduction of highly sensitive immunoassays led to a rapid increase in the number of potential blood-derived biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring of neurological disorders.

     In 2018, the FDA authorized a blood test for clinical use in the evaluation of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

     The test measures levels of the astrocytic intermediate filament glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuroaxonal marker ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L.

     In TBI, blood GFAP levels are correlated with clinical severity and extent of intracranial pathology.

     Evidence also indicates that blood GFAP levels hold the potential to reflect, and might enable prediction of, worsening of disability in individuals with progressive multiple sclerosis.

    A growing body of evidence suggests that blood GFAP levels can be used to detect even subtle injury to the CNS.

      It is opined, the clinical use of blood GFAP measurements has the potential to contribute to accelerated diagnosis and improved prognostication and represents an important step forward in the era of precision medicine.

    Thus, it is strived in this Booklet to provide a systematic overview of the evidence regarding the utility of blood GFAP as a biomarker in neurological diseases.

…Dr. H. K. Saboowala.

             M.B.(Bom) .M.R.S.H.(London)