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Results for “Sensitivity and Specificity”

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PubMed1992

Locomotor-activating effects of the D2 agonist bromocriptine show environment-specific sensitization following repeated injections.

Biphasic effects of bromocriptine (2.0, 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 mg/kg IP) on locomotion were quantified in photocell activity boxes in rats. Following early suppression of activity, bromocriptine produced a clear, dose-dependent increase in locomotion that lasted several hours. When a low dose of bromocriptine (5.0 mg/kg) was administered daily over a 3-week period, the locomotor-activating effects of the drug showed progressive enhancement over days. The sensitization was environment specific; rats administered bromocriptine six times in the home cage showed no sign of a sensitized response to bromocriptine when subsequently tested in the activity box. Thus, selective stimulation of D2 receptors stimulates locomotion and sensitizes animals to subsequent injections, just as do the indirect-acting dopamine agonists cocaine and amphetamine.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Sensitivity, specificity, and vaccine efficacy.

We study the effects of imperfect sensitivity and specificity on estimation of vaccine efficacy (VE). We show that a specificity of <1.0 (i.e., some noncases are classified as cases) can reduce the value of the estimate of VE. One may attempt to adjust the estimate by accounting for the values of sensitivity and specificity. This increases the variance of the estimate of VE and leads to larger sample size requirements. Alternatively, one may adopt the diagnosis method as the disease definition.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1990

Hemoccult screening in detecting colorectal neoplasm: sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value. Long-term follow-up in a large group practice setting.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of Hemoccult II tests for detecting colorectal neoplasm (colorectal carcinoma or polyp or both). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective analyses of asymptomatic patients (greater than or equal to 45 years) followed for 4 years after screening with Hemoccult II testing and retrospective analyses of patients, with known colorectal carcinoma or polyps or both who had Hemoccult II testing within 2 years of diagnosis. SETTING: A large, health maintenance organization practice. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In the prospective analysis, the sensitivity of Hemoccult II was 50% for colorectal carcinoma diagnosed within 1 year of testing, 43% within 2 years, and 25% within 4 years. For polyps, sensitivity was 36% at 1 year, 28% at 2 years, and 17% at 4 years. Specificity was 99%. The predictive value of a positive test for colorectal carcinoma was 8% at 1 year, 10% at 2 years, and 11% at 4 years. On the basis of the retrospective analyses, the sensitivity of Hemoccult II for colorectal carcinoma diagnosed within 1 year of testing was 66% and was 61% within 2 years. Many of these patients had symptoms when tested. CONCLUSIONS: An asymptomatic patient age 45 or older with a positive Hemoccult II test has about a chance of 1 in 10 for having colorectal carcinoma and a 1-in-3 chance of having either a colorectal carcinoma or polyp: The same patient with a negative Hemoccult test has a 0.2% chance of having a colorectal carcinoma diagnosed within 2 years of testing and a 0.7% chance of having a polyp. Within 4 years of testing the chance increases to 0.5% for colorectal carcinoma and 1.5% for polyps. If Hemoccult II slides are the only screening method used for detecting asymptomatic colorectal neoplasms, 50% to 60% of lesions will remain undetected. Clinical interpretation of Hemoccult screening requires appreciation of its limits as well as its benefits.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

On sensitivity, specificity, and the influence of various parameters on ethyl glucuronide levels in urine--results from the WHO/ISBRA study.

BACKGROUND: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a direct ethanol metabolite, seems to meet the need for a sensitive and specific marker for monitoring recent alcohol consumption in different settings. Our aim was to study sensitivity, specificity, and the influence of various parameters on EtG levels in urine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Urine samples for a total of 453 patients (373 male, 80 female) were statistically analyzed. The mean age was 37.1 years (median 36, SD 12.59), body mass index was 24.7, total ethanol consumed last month was 1817.66 g (each median), and 80 patients reported cannabis use within the last 30 days. Determination of EtG was performed with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method with deuterium-labeled EtG as internal standard. RESULTS: For EtG in urine, a good correlation was found with other state markers and days of sobriety. In a regression analysis, age, gender, marijuana use, kidney disease, and total grams of ethanol consumed last month were the variables that significantly influenced EtG levels in contrast to race, smoking, body mass index, cirrhosis of liver, age began drinking regularly, packs of cigarettes smoked last month, and total body water. Furthermore, in a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to distinguish between nondrinkers and individuals sober > 4 days versus individuals drinking in the recent 4 days, area under the curve was 0.834. At a cutoff of 0.145 mg/liter, sensitivity was 83.5% and specificity 68.3%. A receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated for lifetime alcohol abuse or dependence against those who had never been abusers or dependent. In this case, subjects were either never dependent or lifetime dependent, but those currently dependent were excluded. The resulting area under the curve was 0.694. At a cutoff of 0.145 mg/liter, sensitivity was 73.8% and specificity 60.3%. For those with a self-reported sobriety of less than 24 hr, the area under the curve was 0.899, sensitivity was 90.8%, and specificity was 76.5% at a cutoff of 0.435 mg/liter when we calculated nondrinkers and light drinkers against heavy drinkers and drinkers needing treatment. Cannabis-using patients showed significant differences with regard to almost all state markers when compared with nonconsuming subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Age, gender, marijuana use, kidney disease, and total grams of ethanol consumed last month should be taken into consideration when interpreting results of EtG in urine. Sensitivity and specificity seem promising. Cannabis use can be regarded as an indicator for other serious mental problems in alcohol-using subjects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1980

Pulsed Doppler echocardiographic diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus: sensitivity, specificity, limitations, and technical features.

To determine the diagnostic features, sensitivity, and specificity of pulsed Doppler echocardiographic (PDE) diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), 110 infants with heart disease were examined by PDE from the precordial and suprasternal notch approaches. On precordial examination, PDA was diagnosed upon recording of diastolic ductal flow into the pulmonary artery. From the suprasternal approach, PDA was suspected upon recording of continuous turbulent flow in the right pulmonary artery. A PDA was proved by invasive means in 45 of 110 cases. Precordial PDE had diagnosed PDA in 43 of 45 cases. In eight of 110, continuous turbulent flow was present in the pulmonary artery from the precordial approach, but no PDA jet was recorded. In two of eight, PDA was present, and in six of eight others systemic-to-pulmonic communications were present. Precordial PDE diagnosis of PDA had a sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive index of 100%, and negative predictive index of 97%. From the suprasternal notch approach, PDA was suspected in 51 cases, with six false-positive diagnoses, yielding a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 91%, positive predictive index of 88%, and negative predictive index of 100%. Since the diastolic ductal jet flowing into the pulmonary artery was specific for PDA in all patients in whom it was recorded from a precordial approach, that approach and diagnostic feature, with sensitivity and positive predictive index of 100%, would seem preferred for PDE diagnosis of PDA. This would be especially important if the PDE diagnosis of PDA were to be used in place of invasive documentation of PDA, and in the differential diagnosis of PDA and other systemic-to-pulmonic communications. The suprasternal approach, while not specific for PDA, may have the advantage of sensitive detection or exclusion of a variety of systemic-to-pulmonic communications.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Evaluation of laboratory methods for cystic fibrosis carrier screening: reliability, sensitivity, specificity, and costs.

We report a comparative evaluation of three different laboratory methods for screening large numbers of mouthwash DNA samples for common cystic fibrosis mutations. Sensitivity, specificity, and costs of ARMS (allele refractory mutation detection system), dot blotting, and a deletion/digest/PAGE method (multiplex PCR of exons 10 and 11, digest with HincII followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE)) were assessed. ARMS was the most reliable and sensitive method and so was considered more suitable than the cheaper deletion/digest/PAGE. As well as being less reliable than ARMS, the dot blotting method assessed was considerably more costly. ARMS was the best laboratory method for CF screening tested.

Cystic Fibrosis↗

PubMed1992

Epidural test dose and intravascular injection in obstetrics: sensitivity, specificity, and lowest effective dose.

The authors studied the sensitivity and specificity of several epidural test doses as markers of intravascular injection in laboring patients in a prospective double-blind, randomized study. Fifty-nine parturients were assigned randomly to receive an intravenous injection of either normal saline solution (3 mL, NS group) or 1.5% lidocaine with epinephrine 1:200,000 (1 mL, EPI-5 group; 2 mL, EPI-10 group; or 3 mL, EPI-15 group). The EPI-5 and EPI-10 doses were diluted to 3 mL volume with normal saline solution. All injections were given during uterine diastole. Maternal heart rate was monitored with a pulse oximeter. An observer who was unaware of the study treatment recorded the baseline and the peak maternal heart rate within the first minute after the injection and questioned the patient about tinnitus, dizziness, metallic taste, and palpitations. He then recorded his opinion as to whether the patient had received the saline or the test solution. Analysis of the maternal heart rate showed an average increase (baseline-to-peak criterion) of 8 +/- 10 beats/min (mean +/- SD) in the NS group. In the other groups, the increase was 21 +/- 8 (EPI-5 group), 31.5 +/- 13 (EPI-10 group), and 29 +/- 9 beats/min (EPI-15 group). A baseline-to-peak criterion of greater than 10 beats/min identified all intravascular injections in the EPI-15 (by design) and EPI-10 groups (15 of 15 and 14 of 14, respectively) with a sensitivity of 100%. Specificity was 73% (11 of 15 true negatives).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analgesia, Epidural↗

PubMed1995

[A metabolic study of urolithiasis. Specificity, sensitivity, efficacy and reproducibility].

A preliminary diagnosis of the disease responsible for the stones is essential to allow appropriate medical treatment of renal stones. In this paper, the authors describe their diagnostic and treatment protocol based on computer-assisted urinary metabolic analysis. 413 subjects, divided into four groups, were prospectively evaluated to calculate their specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility and efficacy and to demonstrate the usefulness of this protocol.

Absorption↗

PubMed1993

The sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of measuring calcium carbonate in mares' prepartum mammary secretions.

A colorimetric test kit marketed for water quality analysis was used to measure calcium carbonate changes in diluted prefoaling mammary secretions. Daily samples (1 to 3 ml/day) were obtained from 59 Thoroughbred and Warmblood mares starting 14 days prior to foaling to the day of parturition. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the test were calculated on the data collected from 56 mares and 377 prefoaling mammary secretion samples. The results indicate that this test is both sensitive and specific. The predictive value of a positive test (PVPT; positive test defined as the first occurrence that prefoaling mammary secretion calcium carbonate >/= 200 ppm) indicated that 51.4% of late term pregnant mares would foal within the ensuing 24-hour period, 84.1% within 48 hours and 97.2% within 72 hours. The predictive value of a negative test (PVNT; negative test defined as prefoaling mammary secretion calcium carbonate < 200 ppm) indicated that 99.6% of late term pregnant mares would not be expected to foal within the ensuing 24 hour period, % within 48 hours and 81.8% within 72 hours. This test is helpful as a prognostic tool in indicating the mare's approaching readiness for birth. It is also an accurate prognostic tool to predict that the mare is not likely to foal within 24h when calcium carbonate < 200 ppm in the diluted prefoaling mammary secretion.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1976

The cytotoxicity of specifically sensitized lymphocytes from mouse strains of varying H-2 specificities on LCM virus-infected L cells.

During an LCM virus infection in mice, cytotoxic T lymphocytes appear to be directed against target cells infected with the virus. This cytotoxic reaction is restricted by the H-2 histo-compatibility between effector and target cells. To analyse this restriction, the cytotoxic effect of in vivo sensitized spleen cells from mice of various H-2 specificities on LCM virus-infecte of in vivo sensitized spleen cells from mice of various H-2 specificities on LCM virus-infected L cells (H-2k) was studied in vitro. When spleen cells from strains identical with C3H (H-2k) and L cells at the K as well as at the D locus were used as effector cells, the degree of lysis was of the same order as that obtained by C3H effector cells, whereas strains different at both loci did not respond significantly. The A/J and B10A strains, both identical with the L cells at the K locus but different at the D locus, gave low or moderate responses. C3H-H-20 lymphocytes, identical with the targets at the D but not at the K locus, showed high degrees of cytotoxicity although the level obtained by strains histocompatible with L cells at both loci was never reached. Effector cells from the F1 hybrids C3H/HeJ X BALB/c and C3H/HeJ X DBA both responded poorly in spite of the fact that one of their haplotypes carries the same marker loci as the L cells. This finding is in contrast with that obtained in other laboratories where the LCM virus system and other systems were studied. A point is made of the design and the evaluation of the experiments.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value in Katz's and Barthel's ADL indices applied on patients in long term nursing care.

There are propositions that two indices of ADL ability, Katz's and Barthel's indices, are exchangeable for each other. Here this is investigated with regard to clinical applicability. The indices are applied on a material of 23 long term care patients. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive value and interassociations are calculated between the indices, and between indices, nurses' judgements of appropriate care level, an index of cognitive ability (PTS), and a physical examination. Results show clear differences between the indices as to specificity and predictive value, plus differences in sensitivity on dichotomised measurement level. Associations between measures are very high, between measures and nurses' judgements and PTS medium high, and low between indices and physical status. It is concluded that the Katz's ADL index should be preferred in a clinical decision-making for appropriate care level.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1982

Response to programmed ventricular stimulation: sensitivity, specificity and relation to heart disease.

This prospective study of 100 patients evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the repetitive ventricular response and ventricular tachycardia induced by programmed electrical stimulation for identifying patients with spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The influence of underlying heart disease on such sensitivity and specificity was also evaluated. The repetitive ventricular response was sensitive (92 percent) for detecting patients with prior spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmias, but lacked specificity (57 percent); the rate of false positive responses was 43 percent. Inducible ventricular tachycardia was less sensitive (65 percent) but more specific (98 percent); the rate of false positive responses was only 3 percent. Among the 100 patients, 71 had heart disease, 29 did not. The presence of underlying heart disease had no significant effect on the sensitivity and specificity of repetitive ventricular responses or ventricular tachycardia induced by programmed stimulation; it did not increase the rate of false positive responses. It is concluded that (1) ventricular tachycardia induced with programmed ventricular stimulation is an excellent basis for guiding the management of clinically significant ventricular tachyarrhythmias, regardless of underlying heart disease; and (2) the repetitive ventricular response is not useful for this purpose because of its high rate of false positive responses among patients with or without significant heart disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of intra-operative elevation of hand temperature to ensure a successful T2-sympathectomy in patients with palmar hyperhidrosis.

To appraise the validity, intra-operative elevation of hand temperature ensuring a successful T2-sympathectomy, we conducted a randomized, self-compared, case-control study on 40 consecutive patients with palmar hyperhidrosis. All patients had a postoperative follow-up of at least 18 months without recurrence. During operation, dynamic temperature changes on their thenar eminence of both the surgically treated and non-surgically treated hands were simultaneously measured just before (baseline) and after completion of T2-sympathectomy, and again 5 and 10 minutes later. An elevation of the temperature by at least 0.5 degree C from the baseline temperature was recognized as an "elevated" temperature. The relationship between sensitivity and specificity of temperature changes was compared using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. Sensitivity was defined as the proportion of temperature-elevating procedures in the group of operated hands. As a whole, post-sympathectomy elevation of hand temperature is a useful, but not an ideal, indicator for assuring a successful T2-sympathectomy due to its low sensitivity. At the 5-minute point, if the hand temperature was elevated by 1 degree C, its sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 40%, 80% and 66.7%. In comparison, a 2 degrees C elevation at the 10-minute point had a sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of 30%, 90% and 75% (p < 0.05). We suggest that correct localization of the T2 ganglion followed by adequate ablation should be the prerequisite for use of this monitoring system.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of abdominal fat aspiration for the diagnosis of amyloidosis.

Samples of abdominal fat aspirates from 73 patients were sent to us for staining and interpretation. Ten samples were positive for amyloid. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of the procedure based on the findings and the clinical information and other biopsy data about these patients. Using the results from more traditional biopsies as the "gold standard," sensitivity was 57%, specificity was 100%, and the predictive value was 100% for positive findings in the abdominal fat aspirate. Although the sample size in this study was relatively small, the procedure was found to be a minimally invasive test of high clinical utility.

Abdomen↗

PubMed1976

[Ultrastructural features of cerebral nervous tissue under conditions of specific sensitization and desensitization of the body].

On the basis of a study of the ultrastructural traits of the brain matter under conditions of specific sensitization and desensitization of the organism, the author comes to the following conclusion. A sensitization of the organism by brain antigens is accompanied by a physiological activation of the nervous system cells, especially of their defense mechanisms. In specific desensitization when it is considered that there is a disappearance of increased sensitivity of the organism, an electronomicroscopic study of the brain revealed an expressed activation of the ultrastructures, both in the nervous and glial elements of the brain tissue.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Age specific sensitivity and sojourn time in a breast cancer screening programme (DOM) in The Netherlands: a comparison of different methods.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate age dependent sensitivity and sojourn time in a breast cancer screening programme by different methods. POPULATION AND METHODS: The study population comprised women participating in the DOM project--the Utrecht screening programme for the early detection of breast cancer. Breast cancer screening prevalence data and incidence rates after a negative screen were used to estimate age specific sensitivity and mean sojourn time by different methods. MAIN RESULTS: Maximum likelihood estimates of the mean sojourn time varied from one year for women aged 40-49 years to three years for women over the age of 54. Sensitivity was calculated by two different methods. Both pointed to a high sensitivity (around 100%) in the age groups 40-49 and over 55 years. For women aged 50-54, the sensitivity varied from 63% to 100%, depending on the method used and the value of the baseline incidence rate. CONCLUSIONS: Different methods of estimating sensitivity pointed at an acceptable level in women over and under 50 years of age. Sojourn time, and thus the tumour growth rate, seemed to be age dependent. This could mean that the until now disappointing screening results in women under 50 years of age are not so much a result of low sensitivity as of a relatively high tumour growth rate in younger women.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Charcoal is a sensitive, specific, and stable marker for the diagnosis of aspiration in hamsters.

The diagnosis of recurrent aspiration in young children is a perpetual challenge because there is no specific gold standard test to be used. The finding of lipid-laden alveolar macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a sensitive but nonspecific marker for the diagnosis of aspiration. We conducted a short-term study comparing tracheal instillation of saline, milk, or a milk-charcoal mixture in hamsters. BAL cytology, lipid-laden alveolar macrophage index, charcoal alveolar macrophage index, and lung histology were monitored for 10 d. A long-term study was performed, and hamsters were monitored for 92 d after milk-charcoal tracheal instillation. Baseline animals (n = 4) had no tracheal instillation. Saline- and milk-instilled animals had BAL performed after 1 (n = 4), 3 (n = 4), and 10 (n = 4) d. Milk-charcoal-instilled animals had BAL performed after 1 (n = 4), 3 (n = 4), 10 (n = 4), 30 (n = 2), 58 (n = 2), and 92 (n = 2) d after tracheal instillation. Total cell counts and percent neutrophils in BAL fluid increased significantly and similarly after milk and milk-charcoal instillation on d 1 compared with baseline and saline-instilled animals. Lipid-laden alveolar macrophage index increased significantly only on d 3 after milk and milk-charcoal instillation compared with all days in the saline-instillation group. Charcoal alveolar macrophage index increased significantly after milk-charcoal instillation (d 1-58) from baseline or all days in the saline-instillation group. We conclude that charcoal particles instilled in tracheas of hamsters can be easily identified in BAL fluid and in lung parenchyma for as long as 3 mo after a single instillation and could potentially be used as a sensitive, specific, and stable marker for the diagnosis of aspiration, although the issue of its applicability to humans is still unsolved.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Sensitivity, specificity, and impact on the surgical strategy of the perioperative neuromonitoring of somatic evoked potentials in vascular surgery performed with circulatory arrest under deep hypothermia].

AIM: Median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) monitoring performed in deep hypothermic circulatory arrest is useful in determining when brain cooling may sufficiently permit circulatory arrest, and to immediately indicate when brain injury occurs. The aim of this retrospective study, including 58 patients, is to determine SEP sensitivity, specificity and impact on the surgical strategy. METHOD: Sensitivity was determined on patients presenting new neurological complications. Specificity was measured on the patients without any new neurological defect. The impact of intraoperative SEP on the surgical strategy was determined when the occurrence of SEP alterations had provoked a modification of the surgical procedure. RESULTS: Five patients died intraoperatively due to non-neurological complications. Fourteen patients presented new neurological complications. SEP sensitivity reaches 64.3% when all the complications are included, but increases to 100% in our series if late postoperative complications, paraplegia and tibial posterior nerve lesion are excluded because median nerve SEP are not able to detect such complications. SEP monitoring was uneventful in the 39 patients whose did not present neurological complication: thus SEP specificity is absolute in our series. SEP had an impact on the surgical procedure whenever neurological complications due to hemodynamic disturbances occurred. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study shows the interest of intraoperative SEP as an useful tool for promptly identifying and preventing the neurological complication of hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Adolescent↗