A systematic review and meta-analysis of 93 studies involving over 62,000 adults across 21 countries has revealed a consistent association between lower kidney function and elevated levels of several blood biomarkers used in Alzheimer’s disease research, according to findings published February 12, 2026, in The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Researchers found that each 1 ml/min/1.73m² decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)—a measure of kidney function—correlated with slightly higher concentrations of neurofilament light (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and amyloid-β40 in blood samples. The study, led by Hong Xu, assistant professor at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, examined the relationship between kidney function and biomarkers including amyloid-β, tau, NfL, and GFAP.
The findings suggest that impaired kidney function may act as a confounding factor when interpreting Alzheimer’s disease blood biomarker levels. A study published in PubMed in February 2026, included 242 participants from the Translational Biomarkers in Aging and Dementia (TRIAD) cohort, and found biomarker concentrations were highest in individuals with CKD stage 3, followed by stages 2 and 1, though significant differences were only observed for NfL, Aβ42, and Aβ40.
“We saw that lower kidney function was consistently associated with higher levels of several blood biomarkers. This pattern appeared both in unadjusted and adjusted analyses,” Xu stated. The research team noted that findings for biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were less conclusive, generally showing no clear association.
The increasing use of dementia biomarkers in both clinical and research settings underscores the importance of understanding how co-existing health conditions, such as kidney disease, may influence biomarker concentrations. According to a report from EMJ Reviews, lower kidney function is associated with elevated Alzheimer’s blood biomarkers, raising implications for dementia diagnosis and research. The study highlights the demand for careful consideration of kidney function when utilizing blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and monitoring.
Researchers are continuing to investigate the mechanisms underlying this association and its potential impact on the accuracy of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. A cohort study published in JAMA Network Open evaluates the association of kidney function with risk of diagnosis of incident Alzheimer disease or dementia and with the blood biomarkers neurofilament light, phosphorylated tau, and glial fibrillary acidic protein.
