Table 1.
Scoring system for validity based on the STARD criteria.
| Validity criterion | Description | Scoring |
|---|---|---|
| Participant recruitment | Was recruitment based on presenting symptoms or not? | Presenting symptoms (1)
No presenting symptoms (0) |
| Participant sampling | Was the study population a convenience sample or consecutive series of participants defined by the inclusion and exclusion criteria, setting and locations where data were collected? | Consecutive series (1)
Convenience sample (0) |
| Data collection | Was data collection planned before the index test and reference standard test (i.e. prospectively or retrospectively)? | Prospectively (1)
Retrospectively (0) |
| Reference standard | Was the rationale for reference standard stated? | Stated (1)
Not stated (0) |
| Materials and methods | Were technical specifications of materials and methods including how and when measurements were taken stated? | Stated (1)
Not stated (0) |
| Index test | Were the definition of and rationale for the units, cut offs of the results of the index tests and reference standards stated? | Stated (1)
Not stated (0) |
| Blinding | Readers of index test and reference standard blinded? | Blinded (1)
Not blinded or not stated (0) |
| Completion | Was the number of participants that did not undergo index tests (#test vs. sample size) stated? | Stated (1)
Not stated (0) |
| Time Interval | Was the time interval from index test to reference standard stated? | Stated (1)
Not stated (0) |