Table 6.
Summary of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) quality assessment [19]
| Lead author/study | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.10 | 1.11 | 1.12 | 1.13 | 2.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickman [31] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
N/A |
++ |
| Bautista [32] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
N/A |
++ |
| Fass [33] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Pandak [34] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
PA |
PA |
+ |
| Kim [35] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
PA |
PA |
++ |
| Xia [36] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Kushinir [37] |
WC |
WC |
AA |
PA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
N/A |
PA |
+ |
| Lacima [38] |
WC |
PA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Cooke [39] |
WC |
AA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Bovero [40] |
WC |
PA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Romand [41] |
WC |
AA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Abrahao [42] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Ho [29] |
WC |
PA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
PA |
WC |
+ |
| Kim [24] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Hong [25] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Netzer [26] |
WC |
AA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
PA |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Mousavi [27] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Singh [28] |
WC |
PA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
AA |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Lam [30] |
WC |
PA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Achem [43] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
AA |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Demiryoguran [48] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Foldes-Busque [49] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
AA |
WC |
NA |
WC |
N/A |
++ |
| Kujipers [47] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Katerndahl [51] |
WC |
AA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Fleet [50] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
++ |
| Stochkendahl [44] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
NA |
WC |
WC |
PA |
WC |
WC |
NA |
NA |
WC |
WC |
+ |
| Manchikanti [46] |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
PA |
PA |
WC |
WC |
WC |
WC |
PA |
PA |
WC |
+ |
| Bosner [45] | WC | WC | WC | WC | WC | WC | WC | AA | WC | WC | AA | WC | WC | ++ |
1.1: spectrum of patients is representative of patients who will receive the test; 1.2: selection criteria described; 1.3: reference standard is likely to classify the condition correctly; 1.4: period between reference standard and index test short enough; 1.5: whole sample received verification of diagnosis; 1.6: patients receive same reference test regardless of index test results; 1.7: reference standard independent of index test; 1.8: execution of index test described in detail; 1.9: reference standard described in detail; 1.10: index test interpreted without knowledge of result of reference test; 1.11: reference standard results interpreted without knowledge of result index test; 1.12: uninterpretable or intermediate results are reported; 1.13: explanation is provided for withdrawals; 2.1: reliability of the conclusion of the study. Risk of bias (2.1) is as follows. (++), high quality: most of the criteria have been fulfilled. If not fulfilled, the conclusions of the study are very unlikely to alter. (+), moderate quality: some criteria fulfilled. Criteria not adequately described are unlikely to alter the conclusions. (−), low quality: few or no criteria fulfilled. The conclusions are likely to alter.
AA adequately addressed, N/A not applicable, NA not addressed, NR not reported, PA poorly addressed, WC well covered.