Research Article

Phosphorylated Alpha-Synuclein in Red Blood Cells as a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Multiple System Atrophy: A Pilot Study

Table 1

Demographic data, pS-α-syn-RBC level, and clinical characteristics of the study subjects.

VariablesControlTotal MSA valuesMSA-PMSA-C values

Demographic data
No.220107NA4859NA
Gender (male/female)127/9361/460.512c27/2130/290.494c
Age (years)66.67 ± 10.9967.49 ± 8.720.918a60.03 ± 9.6561.90 ± 10.610.439a
pS-α-syn-RBC level (ng/mg)11.89 ± 3.5714.02 ± 4.0213.27 ± 1.9112.19 ± 3.04

Clinical features
No.9175NA3342NA NA
Education (years)10.69 ± 2.959.91 ± 4.730.221a8.33 ± 4.5211.15 ± 4.570.009a
Age at onset (AAO, years)NA58.15 ± 9.85NA57.24 ± 9.4858.86 ± 10.180.485a
Disease duration (years)NA2.93 ± 2.02NA2.77 ± 2.443.06 ± 1.630.076b
H&Y (median, 25%, 75%)NA3 (3, 4)NA3 (3, 4)3 (3, 4)0.819c
UMSARS I1.00 ± 1.7716.21 ± 7.77<0.001b13.67 ± 7.0118.21 ± 7.820.022b
UMSARS II0.26 ± 0.6625.13 ± 13.53<0.001b25.61 ± 15.6424.76 ± 11.790.791b
UMSARS IV (median, 25%, 75%)1 (1, 1)2 (2, 3)<0.001c2 (2, 2)2 (2, 3)0.288c
MoCA score25.65 ± 2.5920.27 ± 5.92<0.001b19.61 ± 6.1620.79 ± 5.750.589b
AHRS score23.57 ± 1.8522.93 ± 3.060.091b23.27 ± 2.2722.67 ± 3.560.796b
RBDQ-HK score4.81 ± 4.3028.23 ± 17.76<0.001b31.10 ± 17.4725.81 ± 17.820.013b
HAMD score1.77 ± 2.259.55 ± 6.09<0.001b9.95 ± 6.179.95 ± 6.110.860b
HAMA score4.02 ± 3.677.17 ± 6.05<0.001b8.09 ± 5.916.45 ± 6.130.118b

All data are expressed as mean ± SD. Bold: . aT-test; bMann-Whitney U test; cChi-square test. MSA, multiple system atrophy; MSA-P, MSA with predominant parkinsonism; MSA-C, MSA with predominant cerebellar ataxia; UMSARS, Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale; H&Y stage, Hoehn and Yahr stage; MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; AHRS, Hyposmia Rating Scale; RBDQ-HK, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder questionnaire-Hong Kong; HAMD, Hamilton Depression Scale; HAMA, Hamilton Anxiety Scale; NA, not applicable.