Table 2.
Meta-regression of potential sources of heterogeneity
| Variance | Coefficient standard | Standard error | p value | RDOR | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cte | 3.493 | 2.4058 | 0.1771 | NA | NA |
| S | 0.193 | 0.4481 | 0.6764 | NA | NA |
| Methoda | -0.152 | 0.8782 | 0.8656 | 0.86 | 0.12-6.08 |
| Tissue | 1.382 | 1.5709 | 0.3998 | 3.98 | 0.12-131.87 |
The RDOR means the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for studies that lacked a particular methodological feature divided by the DOR for studies without the flaw. p < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant relationship between the characteristics of studies and the DOR.
RDOR, relative diagnostic odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; Cte, constant term in the equation; NA, not available; S, indicator of threshold.
a
Method means the type of needle.