Critical appraisal of studies on diagnostic tests

Aunque las recomendaciones generales para la lectura crítica de un metanálisis de pruebas diagnósticas son similares a las del metanálisis de estudios de tratamiento, existen aspectos específicos que deben conocerse para su correcta valoración. Destacamos el estudio del efecto umbral, la elección de la medida de síntesis y la forma de representar el resultado global con las curvas ROC específicas. ABSTRACT An unfairly treated genius. Meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy. Although the general recommendations for the critical appraisal of a meta-analysis of diagnostic tests are similar to those of the treatment meta-analysis, there are specific aspects that should be known for their correct assessment. We highlight the study of the threshold effect, the choice of the synthesis measure and the way to represent the overall result with the specific ROC curves.

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Critical appraisal of studies of diagnostic tests

Evidence-Based Diagnosis ◽

10.1017/cbo9780511759512.006 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 94-115 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Thomas B. Newman ◽

Michael A. Kohn

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Critical Appraisal

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Clinicians' guide to evaluating diagnostic and screening tests in psychiatry

Advances in Psychiatric Treatment ◽

10.1192/apt.10.6.446 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 446-454 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

James Warner

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Critical Appraisal ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Psychiatric Practice ◽

Screening Tests ◽

Clinical Settings ◽

Likelihood Ratios ◽

Predictive Values ◽

Incorrect Diagnosis ◽

Sensitivity Specificity

The emphasis on the evidence base of treatments may diminish awareness that critical appraisal of research into other aspects of psychiatric practice is equally important. There is a risk that diagnostic tests may be inappropriate in some clinical settings or the results of a particular test may be over-interpreted, leading to incorrect diagnosis. This article outlines the method of critically evaluating the validity of articles about diagnostic and screening tests in psychiatry and discusses concepts of sensitivity, specificity and predictive values. The use of likelihood ratios in improving clinical certainty that a disease is present or absent is examined.

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How to perform a critical appraisal of diagnostic tests: 7 steps

Pediatric Radiology ◽

10.1007/s00247-014-3202-y ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 45 (6) ◽

pp. 793-803 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aamer Chughtai ◽

Aine Marie Kelly ◽

Paul Cronin

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Critical Appraisal

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Toward Alignment in the Reporting of Economic Evaluations of Diagnostic Tests and Biomarkers: The AGREEDT Checklist

Medical Decision Making ◽

10.1177/0272989x18797590 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 38 (7) ◽

pp. 778-788 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michelle M.A. Kip ◽

Maarten J. IJzerman ◽

Martin Henriksson ◽

Tracy Merlin ◽

Milton C. Weinstein ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Economic ◽

Economic Evaluation ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Critical Appraisal ◽

Health Economic Evaluation ◽

Economic Evaluations ◽

Real World Data ◽

Model Based

Objectives. General frameworks for conducting and reporting health economic evaluations are available but not specific enough to cover the intricacies of the evaluation of diagnostic tests and biomarkers. Such evaluations are typically complex and model-based because tests primarily affect health outcomes indirectly and real-world data on health outcomes are often lacking. Moreover, not all aspects relevant to the evaluation of a diagnostic test may be known and explicitly considered for inclusion in the evaluation, leading to a loss of transparency and replicability. To address this challenge, this study aims to develop a comprehensive reporting checklist. Methods. This study consisted of 3 main steps: 1) the development of an initial checklist based on a scoping review, 2) review and critical appraisal of the initial checklist by 4 independent experts, and 3) development of a final checklist. Each item from the checklist is illustrated using an example from previous research. Results. The scoping review followed by critical review by the 4 experts resulted in a checklist containing 44 items, which ideally should be considered for inclusion in a model-based health economic evaluation. The extent to which these items were included or discussed in the studies identified in the scoping review varied substantially, with 14 items not being mentioned in ≥47 (75%) of the included studies. Conclusions. The reporting checklist developed in this study may contribute to improved transparency and completeness of model-based health economic evaluations of diagnostic tests and biomarkers. Use of this checklist is therefore encouraged to enhance the interpretation, comparability, and—indirectly—the validity of the results of such evaluations.

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