DTA Meta-Analysis

Diagnostic Test Accuracy (DTA) Meta-Analysis involves aggregating estimates of sensitivity and specificity across studies using a bivariate meta-analysis model. Two models are commonly recognized in the literature: 1) the bivariate meta-analysis model, 2) the hierarchical summary receiver-operating-characteristic (HSROC) curve model. More about these models can be found in the Cochrane Handbook for DTA Meta-Analysis.

Shiny App

The Bayesian DTA Meta-Analysis Shiny App provides an easy-to-use interface to implement a Bayesian bivariate meta-analysis model with or without a perfect reference test.

Peer-reviewed articles

The following articles illustrate use of DTA meta-analysis models.

When the reference test is assumed to be perfect

• Steingart KR, Schiller I, Horne DJ, Pai M, Boehme CC, Dendukuri N. Xpert® MTB/RIF assay for pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Jan 21;2014(1):CD009593.

• Merckx J, Wali R, Schiller I, Caya C, Gore GC, Chartrand C, Dendukuri N, Papenburg J. Diagnostic Accuracy of Novel and Traditional Rapid Tests for Influenza Infection Compared With Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Sep 19;167(6):394-409.

When verification bias is present

• de Groot JA, Dendukuri N, Janssen KJ, Reitsma JB, Brophy J, Joseph L, Bossuyt PM, Moons KG. Adjusting for partial verification or workup bias in meta-analyses of diagnostic accuracy studies. Am J Epidemiol. 2012 Apr 15;175(8):847-53

When the reference test is assumed to be imperfect (Latent class meta-analysis)

• Dendukuri N, Schiller I, Joseph L, Pai M. Bayesian meta-analysis of the accuracy of a test for tuberculous pleuritis in the absence of a gold standard reference. Biometrics. 2012 Dec;68(4):1285-93.

• Kohli M, Schiller I, Dendukuri N, Dheda K, Denkinger CM, Schumacher SG, Steingart KR. Xpert® MTB/RIF assay for extrapulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Aug 27;8(8):CD012768

• Sinclair A, Xie X, Teltscher M, Dendukuri N. Systematic review and meta-analysis of a urine-based pneumococcal antigen test for diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. J Clin Microbiol. 2013 Jul;51(7):2303-10

• Xie X, Sinclair A, Dendukuri N. Evaluating the accuracy and economic value of a new test in the absence of a perfect reference test. Res Synth Methods. 2017 Sep;8(3):321-332

• Timsit E, Dendukuri N, Schiller I, Buczinski S. Diagnostic accuracy of clinical illness for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) diagnosis in beef cattle placed in feedlots: A systematic literature review and hierarchical Bayesian latent-class meta-analysis. Prev Vet Med. 2016 Dec 1;135:67-73.

• Butler-Laporte G, Lawandi A, Schiller I, Yao M, Dendukuri N, McDonald EG, Lee TC. Comparison of Saliva and Nasopharyngeal Swab Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing for Detection of SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.JAMA Intern Med. 2021 Mar 1;181(3):353-360