| Reference number of studies analysed |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | QUADAS item | [14] | [19] | [20] | [21] | [22] | [23] | [24] | [25] | [26] | [27] | [28] |
1. | Was the spectrum of patients representative of the patients who will receive the test in practice? | Y | Y | Y | Y | U | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
2 | Were selection criteria clearly described? | U | Y | N | N | U | U | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
3. | Is the reference standard likely to correctly classify the target condition? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
4. | Is the time period between reference standard and index test short enough to be reasonably sure that the target condition did not change between the two tests? | U | Y | U | U | U | U | Y | U | Y | Y | Y |
5. | Did the whole sample or a random selection of the sample, receive verification using a reference standard of diagnosis? | Y | Y | U | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
6. | Did patients receive the same reference standard regardless of the index test result? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
7. | Was the reference standard independent of the index test (i.e. the index test did not form part of the reference standard)? | Y | Y | U | U | U | U | U | Y | Y | U | Y |
8. | Was the execution of the index test described in sufficient detail to permit replication of the test? | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
9. | Was the execution of the reference standard described in sufficient detail to permit its replication? | N | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y |
10. | Were the index test results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the reference standard? | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | Y | U | U |
11. | Were the reference standard results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the index test? | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | Y | U | U |
12. | Were the same clinical data available when test results were interpreted as would be available when the test is used in practice? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
13. | Were uninterpretable/intermediate test results reported? | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
14. | Were withdrawals from the study explained? | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N |