Table 2.
Validators and utility of clinical syndromes, as well as established evidence regarding BDS
| Validator | Scientific method | Study |
|---|---|---|
| Identify and describe the syndrome | ‘Clinical intuition’ or cluster analyses | Fink et al. (2007) [2] Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [43] |
| Demonstrate boundaries between related syndromes and from normality | Statistical methods, e.g. latent class analysis | Fink et al. (2007) [2] Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [43] |
| Establish a distinct course or outcome | Follow-up studies | Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [42] Rask et al. (2015) [44] |
| Establish a distinct treatment response | Therapeutic trials | Fjordback et al. (2013)a [45] Schröder et al. (2012)a [46] |
| Establish that the syndrome ‘breeds true’ | Family studies | No studies found |
| Identify biological correlates | Demonstrate the association with abnormalities of anatomical, biochemical or molecular character | No studies found |
| Additional validator | Study | |
| The patients must be sampled from representative populations | Fink et al. (2007) [2] Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [42] Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [43] Rask et al. (2015) [44] | |
| Results should be confirmed in cross-validation studies | Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [43] | |
| Patients must be assessed by an appropriate method | Fink et al. (2007) [2] | |
| Clinical utility | Study | |
| Is it used? | No studies found | |
| Is it acceptable to users? | Lam et al. (2013) [84] | |
| Is it easy to use? | No studies found | |
| Is it used correctly? | No studies found | |
| Does it improve clinical outcome? | No studies found | |
| Does it enhance communication? | ||
| with patients | No studies foundb | |
| across medical specialties | No studies found | |
| Does it assist in conceptualising? | Lam et al. (2013) [84] |
aSpecialised setting
bApplies explanatory models