Science and Research

Reporting Standards for Diagnostic Testing: Guidance for Authors From Editors of Respiratory, Sleep, and Critical Care Journals

Diagnostic testing is fundamental to medicine. However, studies of diagnostic testing in respiratory medicine vary significantly in terms of their methodology, definitions, and reporting of results. This has led to often conflicting or ambiguous results. To address this issue, a group of 20 respiratory journal editors worked to develop reporting standards for studies of diagnostic testing based on a rigorous methodology to guide authors, peer reviewers, and researchers when conducting studies of diagnostic testing in respiratory medicine. Four key areas are covered, including defining the reference standard of truth, measures of dichotomous test performance when used for dichotomous outcomes, measures of multichotomous test performance for dichotomous outcomes, and what constitutes a useful definition of diagnostic yield. The importance of using contingency tables for reporting results is addressed with examples from the literature. A practical checklist is provided as well for reporting studies of diagnostic testing.

  • Ost, D. E.
  • Feller-Kopman, D. J.
  • Gonzalez, A. V.
  • Grosu, H. B.
  • Herth, F.
  • Mazzone, P.
  • Park, J. E. S.
  • Porcel, J. M.
  • Shojaee, S.
  • Tsiligianni, I.
  • Vachani, A.
  • Bernstein, J.
  • Branson, R.
  • Flume, P. A.
  • Akdis, C. A.
  • Kolb, M.
  • Portela, E. B.
  • Smyth, A.

Keywords

  • Humans
  • *Peer Review, Research
  • Research Design
  • *Periodicals as Topic
  • Checklist
  • Reference Standards
Publication details
DOI: 10.1097/lbr.0000000000000920
Journal: J Bronchology Interv Pulmonol
Pages: 207-222 
Number: 3
Work Type: Original
Location: TLRC
Disease Area: General Lung and Other
Partner / Member: RKU
Access-Number: 37070780

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