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Results for “Reproducibility”

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PubMed2003

Analysis of the regional pulse wave velocity by Doppler: methodology and reproducibility.

Increased arterial stiffness is observed in a number of cases. The analysis of the regional functional arterial properties is of interest to determine the role of a given risk factor on the vascular wall and in some diseases such as atherosclerosis. We analysed the pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured by the Doppler method with 2D guidance and its reproducibility in different arterial segments in 15 men with coronary artery disease. Regional Doppler PWV was defined as the distance between the extremities of a given segment divided by the transit time calculated by Doppler. Intra- and interobserver reproducibilities of the Doppler measurements were studied in all of the subjects. The variation coefficients were low, maximum at the level of ascending aorta and minimal at the level of iliac segment. This good reproducibility was validated by the Bland-Altman method. Moreover, using this Doppler technique, we found a progressive increase in PWV from the ascending aorta to the iliac segment. These data demonstrate that noninvasive Doppler analysis is a feasible and reproducible method to determine regional PWV.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Reproducibility of ultrasonographic measurements of different carotid and femoral artery segments in healthy subjects and in patients with increased intima-media thickness.

1. The reproducibility of measurements of the arterial wall thickness in both the carotid and femoral artery was investigated by means of high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. For this purpose, subjects with normal and increased intima-media thickness were selected. Images were stored on an optical disk and were analysed with a semi-automatic software program by two readers. Individuals were scanned twice by two independent observers. 2. Measurements were performed of the far and near wall of the common carotid artery and bulbous in 30 healthy subjects and 19 patients known to have an increased intima-media thickness. Far-wall measurements were made of the internal carotid artery on both sides and common femoral artery on the right side only. 3. In healthy subjects the mean within-observer coefficient of variation was 1.8% and 3.0% for the far wall in the common carotid artery on the right side and left side, respectively. For the near wall the mean coefficient of variation of the common carotid artery was 2.8% on the right and 3.4% on the left side. The mean coefficient of variation was less than 4% for both far and near wall in the bulbous and far wall in the internal carotid artery. Even in patients with increased intima-media thickness the mean coefficient of variation of each segment was less than 4.5%. In the control subjects the between-observer coefficient of variation of the common carotid artery was 2.8% and 5.1% for the far wall on the right and left side, respectively, and 3.4% and 4.2% for the near wall on the right and left side. In healthy subjects a mean difference of 0.002 mm within observers was found in the right far-wall common carotid artery, with limits of agreement of -0.048 to 0.052 mm. The coefficient of repeatability was 0.050 mm. For patients with increased intima-media thickness the mean difference in this segment was -0.006 mm (-0.094 to 0.082) with a coefficient of repeatability of 0.088 mm. For the near wall in the common carotid artery and far and near wall in the bulbous and internal carotid artery the mean differences were larger, but were all below 0.1 mm. The differences and limits of agreements increased between observers. In patients the between-observer mean difference of the far wall of the common carotid artery was -0.055 mm (-0.255 to 0.145). For the common femoral artery of normal control subjects the within- and between-observer mean differences were 0.005 mm (-0.119 to 0.129) and 0.015 mm (-0.081 to 0.111), respectively. 4. In conclusion, the reproducibility of intima-media thickness measurements in the common carotid artery is reliable, even in patients with increased artery wall thickness. Also in other segments prone to atherosclerosis, such as the bulbous, internal carotid artery and common femoral artery, a good reproducibility was found. To obtain good reproducibility it is highly recommended to use the same ultrasonographer to scan patients in follow-up studies.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Serum eosinophil cationic protein: distribution and reproducibility in a randomly selected sample of men living in rural Norfolk, UK.

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) may be a clinically useful measure in allergic illness. The aim of this report is to describe the distribution and reproducibility of serum ECP levels in a population sample and to examine its relationship with other markers of disease. METHODS: The study was conducted in rural areas of Norfolk, UK in a random sample of men aged 20-44 years enriched with subjects drawn from general practice 'asthma registers'. Asthma symptoms were assessed using the EC Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire. Atopy was measured by skin prick tests and serum IgE. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) was tested by methacholine challenge test. Serum IgE and ECP was measured by fluoroimmunoassay using the Pharmacia CAP system. Reference equations were derived in subjects from the random sample who did not have symptoms of asthma, abnormal lung function or AHR. The relation of serum ECP with various clinical characteristics was examined in the whole study population. Reproducibility of serum ECP measurement was assessed in 57 subjects 4 weeks after the initial test. RESULTS: The study population comprised 311 from the random sample and 58 from the asthma sample. The reference equation for serum ECP for healthy men was log10 ECP = 1.3966 - [(age - 20) x 0.0057]. The estimated mean serum ECP for a 20-year-old man was 25 microg/L. Current smokers have higher serum ECP levels that non-smokers (P = 0.014). ECP levels were not related to the skin prick test reactivity, serum IgE, a questionnaire-based diagnosis of asthma, or impaired lung function (all P > 0.05). Levels were higher in subjects with AHR (P = 0.003) and those who reported wheeze (P = 0.017) but there was no clinically useful separation in ECP levels between subjects classified by these criteria. The test was moderately reproducible over a 4-week period (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.62). DISCUSSION: Serum ECP levels were higher in this rural English population than reported in a comparable population in Sweden. Serum ECP is a reproducible test but cross-sectionally does not relate in any clinically useful way to markers of asthma. The meaning of between- subject differences in ECP levels requires further exploration.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Reproducibility of the insulin tolerance test (ITT) for assessment of growth hormone and cortisol secretion in normal and hypopituitary adult men.

OBJECTIVE: The within subject variability of the insulin tolerance test (ITT) for assessment of growth hormone (GH) status and cortisol reserve has rarely been examined, particularly in patients with hypopituitarism. This becomes important when biochemical criteria are used to determine which adults with hypopituitarism should receive GH and/or cortisol replacement. In the present study we assessed the reproducibility of GH and cortisol responses in repeated ITTs. Baseline insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels were also assessed for reproducibility on each occasion. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Three consecutive ITTs were performed in seven normal adult men (ages 22-27 years) and two ITTs in 11 men with hypopituitarism and suspected GH deficiency (ages 23-48 years). MEASUREMENTS: Serum GH and IGF-1 were measured by immunoradiometric and cortisol by immunofluorimetric assays. RESULTS: In normal men group peak GH responses did not differ between the three tests. There was no correlation between individual peak values. The within subject peak GH variability was between 4.6 and 59.3%, and the overall variability in 21 tests was 35%. The lowest peak GH concentration was 70 mU/l (27 microg/l). All hypopituitary men had severe GH deficiency (all peak GH concentrations < 4 mU/l (1.5 microg/l) in both tests). There was a highly significant correlation between individual peak GH values (r = 0.95, P < 0.0001). Basal IGF-1-values in normal and hypopituitary men were highly correlated between tests (r = 0.98, P < 0.0001). The overall within subject variability of IGF-1-values was 11.9% in normal and 22.7% in hypopituitary men. In normal men group peak cortisol responses were not different between the three tests. There was a good correlation between individual peak cortisol responses in the three ITTs. The within subject peak cortisol variability (median 8.3%; range 0.7-21.5%) was significantly less than that of GH (P < 0.03) in two of three test comparisons. In hypopituitary men the within subject peak cortisol variability (median 41.6%; range 3.5-92.7%) was significantly greater (P < 0.001) than in normal men. All patients were correctly classified as cortisol deficient or normal in both ITTs. CONCLUSION: The cortisol response to repeated hypoglycaemia is very reproducible in normal men but the GH response is less so. In hypopituitary men the reproducibility of the GH response is good while that of the cortisol response is poor. However, a single ITT did not misclassify hypopituitary patients who are severely GH and/or ACTH deficient and was therefore adequate for clinical decisions regarding GH and/or cortisol replacement. Nevertheless, it remains possible that a single ITT could misclassify some hypopituitary patients with partial GH or ACTH deficiency.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

PubMed1998

Reproducibility of ultrasonic fetal volume blood flow measurements.

The intraobserver reproducibility of ultrasonic volume blood flow measurements in the human fetus was evaluated in this study. A new approach, simultaneous measurement of the vessel diameter and the flow velocity with a pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound synchronized with a real-time ultrasound phase-locked echo-tracking system, was used to estimate volume blood flow (VBF) in the fetal descending aorta. Measurements were performed in a longitudinal study on 20 normally grown fetuses. Intraobserver reproducibility of repeated estimations of mean blood flow velocities throughout gestation was very good, with high values of intraclass correlation coefficient (IntraCC 0.80-0.91) and low values of coefficient of variation (CV 4-11%). The IntraCC of repeated vessel diameter measurements throughout gestation was low (0.30-0.68), whereas the values of CV were acceptable (< 12%), with the exception of the period between 140 and 167 gestational days (CV > 12%). The lower reproducibility of vessel diameter measurement contributed directly to the relatively low reproducibility of VBF estimations overall (IntraCC 0.25-0.70; CV 17-28%), as these are calculated from a formula using both flow velocity and vessel diameter. Nevertheless, the synchronized approach gives absolute values of vessel diameter, flow velocity and VBF comparable with values reported in the human fetus previously. The new method provides, by taking the vessel wall pulsations into consideration and by measuring diameter and velocity simultaneously, a more complete information on fetal haemodynamics and fetal physiology.

Aorta, Thoracic↗

PubMed1998

One-year reproducibility and stability of the signal amplitude ratio and other variables of the electromyogram: test-retest of a shoulder forward flexion test in female workers with neck and shoulder problems.

We have studied 23 women with neck and shoulder problems in a car factory with a 1-year interval. Our main aim was to investigate the reproducibility and stability of the tension pattern. In addition, the mean frequency (MNF) of the power spectrum and the signal amplitude (RMS) of the surface electromyograph (EMG) of the trapezius, deltoid and infraspinatus muscles and mechanical output were determined throughout 100 maximal isokinetic shoulder forward flexions. The signal amplitude ratio (SAR) was calculated as the ratio between the signal amplitude of the EMG of the passive relaxation and the active flexion part of each contraction cycle. The SAR variable can be reproduced (r = 0.47-0.76) with a 1-year interval. There was a significantly lower SAR of the trapezius at the second test, which might have been due to lower work pace at the factory. The longitudinal patterns of SAR throughout the two tests were similar at both tests. There were significant correlations between tests for 18 out of 22 EMG variables, even though the correlations were generally lower than for SAR (initial MNF: r = 0.39-0.48; MNF endurance level: r = 0.55-0.83; RMS (%): r = 0.08-0.46). Peak torque had better reproducibility than work. In conclusion, SAR has a long-term reproducibility equal to or better than other EMG and biomechanical variables. The present results indicate that SAR has potential to measure unnecessary muscle tension in intervention studies and to identify individual movement patterns.

Electromyography↗

PubMed1999

Reproducibility of the alterations in circulation and cerebral oxygenation from supine rest to head-up tilt.

Cardiovascular stability, as affected by several diseases, may be assessed by head-up tilt testing. Follow-up studies are essential in both evaluating interventions and assessing progression. However, data on the reproducibility of the changes in circulatory status and cerebral oxygenation provoked by head-up tilt testing are fundamental to follow-up studies. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the reproducibility of the alterations in stroke volume (SV), mean arterial pressure (MAP), as well as oxygenated ([O2Hb]) and deoxygenated haemoglobin ([HHb]) concentration in cerebral tissue from supine rest (SUP) to head-up tilt (HUT). SV was calculated by Modelflow, a pulse contour method, from the finger arterial pressure wave measured by Portapres, the portable version of Finapres. [O2Hb] and [HHb] were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Ten healthy individuals visited the laboratory on two different days. On both days, they underwent 10 min SUP followed by 10 min 70 degrees HUT twice. SV decreased, which was (in part) compensated for by an increased heart rate, while MAP increased slightly during HUT compared with SUP. Although [HHb] increased during HUT, no presyncope symptoms were experienced. The circulatory variables (SV, HR and MAP) as well as [HHb] showed an acceptably small systematic and random error as well as reproducibility error compared with the observed difference between HUT and SUP and were similar between and within visits. Therefore, it is concluded that MAP measured by Portapres and SV calculated by Modelflow as well as HHb measured by NIRS seem to be reproducible and may therefore be used in follow-up studies.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Reproducibility of surface EMG during dynamic shoulder forward flexions: a study of clinically healthy subjects.

There is a shortage of studies concerning the reproducibility of surface electromyography (EMG) during dynamic contractions. The movement per se introduces factors that could have the potential to affect the characteristics of the electromyogram. The aim of this study was to investigate the during-the-day reproducibility (using intra-class coefficient, ICC) of the peak torque (PT) and the EMG variables (without removing electrodes) of dynamic shoulder forward flexions. Eleven healthy women performed three sets of 10 dynamic maximum right-shoulder flexions at 1 h intervals using an isokinetic dynamometer. The PT of each flexion was determined. EMG signals were recorded from four muscles (trapezius, deltoid, infraspinatus and biceps brachii) using surface electrodes, and the mean frequency of the power spectrum (MNF [Hz]) and the signal amplitude (RMS [microV]), were computed. The ability to relax between maximum flexions was calculated as a ratio between the RMS during the passive extension phase and the RMS during the active flexion phase of each contraction cycle. This ratio is the signal amplitude ratio (SAR). The present study showed good reproducibility for PT, MNF and RMS, while the reproducibility of SAR was generally acceptable (fair) according to the criteria used.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Coronary flow reserve: measurement with transthoracic Doppler echocardiography is reproducible and comparable with positron emission tomography.

Detection of early vascular changes indicated by lowered coronary flow reserve (CFR) would allow early treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to test whether it is possible to reproducibly measure CFR with transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTE) in healthy volunteers. We measured CFR using dipyridamole infusion in ten healthy male volunteers with two methods: TTE and positron emission tomography (PET) with oxygen-15-labelled water (group A). However, CFR was assessed twice with TTE in eight healthy male volunteers (group B) to study the reproducibility of this method. We compared CFRs obtained using TTE flow measurements in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and PET flow measurements in the corresponding myocardial area. Coronary flow in LAD could be measured in all subjects using TTE. By TTE, an average CFR based on peak diastolic flow velocity (PDV) was 2.72 +/- 1.16, mean diastolic flow velocity (MDV) 2.56 +/- 1.06 and velocity time integral (VTI) 1.87 +/- 0.49. The results were reproducible in two repeated TTE studies (coefficient of variation in MDV 6.1 +/- 4.3%, n=8). By PET, CFR was 2.52 +/- 0.84. CFR assessed by TTE correlated closely with that measured by PET (MDV r=0.942, P<0.001; PDV r=0.912, P<0.002 and VTI r=0.888, P<0.006) and intraclass correlation was 0.929 (MDV) and tolerance limits for differences of CFRs was -0.78 to 0.72. We show that CFR measured by TTE has an excellent correlation with CFR measured by PET. We also found that TTE measurements of CFR were highly reproducible.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Long-term reproducibility of ambulatory blood pressure in unselected elderly subjects.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term reproducibility and validity of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) in an unselected elderly population. In a rural Finnish community 503 randomly chosen invited persons over 65 years of age participated and went through 24-h ABPM. As part of the validation of the methodology, the reproducibility study was conducted in 26 persons (age 65-76 years). Two identical sets of measurement were performed at 4-12 (median 8) month intervals. The agreement between measurements was assessed by correlation coefficients and standard deviation (SD) of the differences. There were no significant differences in 24-h, daytime and night-time average diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and daytime average systolic blood pressure (SBP) between the two measurements. During the second measurement, 24-h SBP and night-time average SBP were slightly higher than those obtained by the first monitoring. Average 24-h SBP and DBP were 18 and 7 mmHg lower, respectively, than office blood pressure averages. The correlation coefficients were significantly higher for 24-h ambulatory blood pressure than for office blood pressure. The SD of the mean difference between visits was significantly lower for 24-h ambulatory blood pressure than for office blood pressure measurements. These findings show that the long-term reproducibility of ambulatory blood pressure is good in an elderly unselected population and better than the office blood pressure reproducibility.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1997

Reproducibility and accuracy of interactive segmentation procedures for image analysis in cytology.

The segmentation of nuclear images is a crucial step in the development of procedures using image analysis for the cytological diagnosis of cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reproducibility and accuracy of several interactive segmentation methods which can be used in this context. Four methods were studied: a thresholding-based method enabling selection of intensity histogram contrast and brightness, manual tracing with a stylus, and arc- and ellipse-fitting routines. Features of nuclear size and shape were derived from nuclei segmented on repeated occasions by several individuals. Variance component models provided a statistical framework for evaluating the intraobserver and interobserver variability of these measurements in terms of their intraclass correlation coefficients. Of the methods tested, the arc-fitting segmentation method gave the most reproducible results, and thresholding the least. Reproducibility was generally very high both between individuals and for repeated segmentations by a single individual. Accuracies of area measurements for the various methods, as determined with respect to point counting, paralleled the reproducibilities of the methods. Sample size requirements were observed to be more dependent on the biological variability of the tissue sampled than on the particular segmentation method or on the number of individuals performing segmentation.

Cell Biology↗

PubMed2002

Evaluation of the accuracy and reproducibility of a replication technique for the manufacture of electroconductive replicas for use in quantitative clinical dental wear studies.

This work sought to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of a replication process that formed electroconductive replicas from addition cured silicone impressions for the purposes of monitoring tooth surface loss. Replicas were constructed by painting the surface of impressions with one of three high silver content electroconductive paints [Electrocure (EC), RS Silver Paint (SP) and Electrolube (EB)] and, once dry, backing this up with a cyanoacrylate based gel material (Zapit) and die stone. For each paint an impression was recorded of a gauge block of known step height (1270 microm) and five impressions of the palatal surface of a laboratory standard maxillary central incisor were also recorded. All impressions were taken using an addition cured silicone impression material (President). The resultant electroconductive replicas were mapped using a computer controlled probe. This data was analysed to determine both the replica's step height and, using surface matching techniques, the reproducibility of the replication process. The mean step heights recorded were; EC=1268.43 (s.d.=12.09), SP=1267.09 (s.d. 1.77) and EB 1299.58 (s.d. 14.47). Both EC and SP recorded the step height to within 3 microm. In the repeat replication of the palatal surface of an upper central incisor SP maintained a greater constancy of surface topography (99.6%) that was statistically superior to both EC (P < 0.05) and EB (P < 0.01). The SP was therefore the preferred paint for this technique. Bearing this in mind the replication technique was both accurate and reproducible but vigilance, as to the selection of paint for the process, should be exercised so as not to affect the good accuracy and reproducibility of the technique.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2002

Ultrasonographic assessment of local cross-sectional dimensions of masseter muscle sites: a reproducible technique?

Local cross-sectional dimensions (LCSDs) of masseter muscle sites may now be measured non-invasively using ultrasonography. The purpose of the present study was to determine (i) whether the muscle site may affect LCSD measurements and (ii) whether measurements made at identical sites may be reproducible. The study included 17 patients who had signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Bilateral ultrasonographic investigation was performed with a linear (B-scan) 7.5 MHz small-part transducer to visualize the antero-superior, antero-inferior, medio-superior, medio-inferior, postero-superior, and postero-inferior sites of the masseter muscle. Measurements were made in two sessions with a time interval of at least five minutes. Data were analysed for reproducibility by using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the method error (ME). Muscle site had no significant effect on muscle measurements (P = 0.090). Measurements from the various side-related sites did not differ significantly (P = 0.425). Measurements recorded at a given site were consistent across the testing sessions (P = 0.605). The muscle site with highest reproducibility was the medio-inferior site (ICC = 0.92; ME = 6.4%). The data suggest that ultrasonography is a reproducible method for measuring LSCDs of the masseter muscle.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness of a disease-specific symptom questionnaire for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The purpose of this study was to establish the reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness of a symptom questionnaire to assess patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A total of 300 patients with GERD completed questionnaires before and 6 months after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Forty-six GERD patients who continued on omeprazole served as controls. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure, 24-h pH, and quality of life (SF36) were measured at baseline and follow-up. Reproducibility was calculated as an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) from a repeated-measures analysis of variance on symptom scores (SS) on two consecutive days. Validity was established by correlating SS with 24-h pH and SF36 scores. Responsiveness was calculated as the the ratio of the mean paired difference in score in the surgical group to the within-subject variability in control subjects. Reproducibility was very high, as revealed by an ICC of 0.92. Strong correlations between SS and SF36 scores at baseline and after surgery demonstrated high cross-sectional validity. Correlation between change in SS and change in pH, SF36 pain, general health, and physical health scores demonstrated longitudinal validity. The mean (95% confidence interval) paired differences in SS were 25.6 (23.7, 27.5) in the study and 2.0 (-3.2, 7.3) in the control groups, and the responsive index was 1.0. The estimated minimally important clinical difference was 7. We conclude that the symptom score is a reproducible, valid, and responsive instrument for assessing symptoms caused by GERD.

Anti-Ulcer Agents↗

PubMed2002

Reproducibility and feasibility of neurophysiological assessment of the sensory trigeminal system for future application to paroxysmal headaches.

As the distribution of pain in primary headaches suggests involvement of the trigeminal sensory pathways, trigeminal somatosensory evoked potentials (TSEP) and blink reflexes (BR) may provide important information about their functional integrity. Functional differences between symptomatic and non-symptomatic sides and between measurements during and outside attacks may be particularly informative. These tests should therefore be reproducible and should require a suitable number of patients for future studies in patients with primary, paroxysmal headaches. We performed TSEP and BR twice in 22 healthy volunteers, in order to calculate sample sizes based on reproducibility data. This is, to our knowledge, the first study investigating the reproducibility of TSEP and BR measurements. Latencies of TSEP and BR are appropriate for future studies, as their reproducibility allows practical sample sizes (less than 25 subjects). Duration, amplitude and area parameters of the BR responses were less appropriate for longitudinal studies.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Multicenter evaluation of the reproducibility of the proposed antifungal susceptibility testing method for fermentative yeasts of the Antifungal Susceptibility Testing Subcommittee of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AFST-EUCAST).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility of a new standard for susceptibility testing of fermentative yeasts. This standard is based on the M27-A procedure of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS), but incorporates several modifications, including spectrophotometric growth-dependent endpoint reading. METHODS: Nine laboratories participated in the study. Common material lots were used to test six Candida species (one each of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. lusitaniae), and two quality control strains (C. krusei ATCC6258 and C. parapsilosis ATCC22019). Triplicate testing on three separate days was performed in microtiter format with RPMI-2% glucose, pH 7.0. Flucytosine, fluconazole and itraconazole were tested. In total, 3888 MIC values were included in the analyses. Reproducibility was calculated by means of agreement (percentage of MICs within one two-fold dilution of the mode) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, maximum value of 1). RESULTS: The average intra-laboratory agreements were 99% and 96% after 24 h and 48 h of incubation, respectively, with ICCs of 0.98 and 0.97 (P < 0.05). Two strains exhibiting a trailing effect showed intra-laboratory agreement of 92% and ICCs of < 0.91 at 48 h. The inter-laboratory agreement was 94% and 88% after 24 h and 48 h, respectively, with ICCs of 0.93 and 0.91 (P < 0.05). Lower values of agreement and ICCs were obtained for strains exhibiting trailing after 48 h of incubation. Itraconazole yielded the lowest values of reproducibility. CONCLUSION: The new procedure of EUCAST for antifungal susceptibility testing is a reproducible method within and between laboratories and offers several advantages over the NCCLS approved method.

Advisory Committees↗

PubMed1996

The reproducibility of the results of transvaginal sonography of the uterus in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding.

Our objectives were to determine the reproducibility, or interobserver agreement, of transvaginal sonographic imaging of the uterus in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding and to identify the effect of observer experience. Transvaginal ultrasound findings of 235 patients with abnormal uterine bleeding were recorded systematically on videotape. Recordings were reviewed by three observers who had different levels of experience, and who were asked to judge the endometrium/uterine cavity and myometrium separately as being normal, abnormal or inconclusive, according to predefined criteria. Reproducibility was expressed by the observed rates of interobserver agreement and by kappa statistics. The differences in agreement between observer pairs were analyzed by means of McNemar's chi 2 test. The observed rates of agreement for the judgement of the endometrium/uterine cavity varied from 0.85 to 0.89, with a kappa value ranging from 0.70 to 0.78 between observers. The judgment of the myometrium resulted in agreement rates of 0.86-0.91 and kappa values of 0.67-0.80. Although the effect of experience was evident, the differences in agreement between observers were not significant (p > 0.01). The reproducibility of the results of transvaginal sonography of the uterus in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding was good. Observations of the endometrium/ uterine cavity with a normal appearance were the most highly reproducible, with the smallest effect of observer experience. This may reduce the need for invasive diagnostic procedures in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

The influence of contour line size and location on the reproducibility of topographic measurement with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph.

BACKGROUND: The recommended contour line (CL) location with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) is on the inner edge of Elschnig's scleral ring. This study investigated HRT parameter reproducibility when: (i) the CL size is altered relative to Elschnig's ring; (ii) the CL is either redrawn or imported between images. METHODS: Using the HRT, seven 10 degrees images were acquired for 10 normal volunteers and 10 primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) subjects. A CL was drawn on one image for each subject using Elschnig's scleral ring for reference and imported into subsequent images. The CL diameter was then (a) increased by 50 microns; (b) increased by 100 microns; and (c) decreased by 50 microns. To investigate the effect of the method of contour line transfer between images a CL was: (1) defined for one image and imported to 6 subsequent images; (2) drawn separately for each image. RESULTS: Parameter variability improved as the size of the CL increased for the normal group relative to Elschnig's ring but was unchanged in the POAG group. The export/import function (method 1) resulted in better parameter reproducibility than the redrawing method for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The exporting and importing function resulted in better parameter variability for both subject groups and should be used for transferring CLs across images for the same subject. Increasing the overall CL size relative to Elschnig's scleral ring improved the reproducibility of the measured parameters in the normal group. No significant difference in parameter variability was observed for the POAG group. This suggests that the reproducibility of HRT images are affected more by the variation in topography between images than change in CL definition.

Case-Control Studies↗