Table 3. Results of quality assessment of studies using Brink and Louw Scale .

Brink and Louw Scale	Badii et al., 2014	Neelly et al., 2013	Jam-aluddin et al., 2011	Leard et al., 2009	Breats et al., 2009	Terry et al., 2005	Duff et al., 2000	Lampe et al., 1996	Hoyle et al., 1991	Beattie et al., 1990	Gogia et al., 1986
Was the sample of subjects’ representa-tive?	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	+
Was the sample of raters’ representative?	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	+
Was the reference standard explained?	+	+	+	Not	Not	+	+	+	-	+	+
Were raters blinded to the findings of other raters?	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	+	Not	+
Were raters blinded to their own prior find-ings?	+	+	Not	+	Un	un	+	Not	Un	Not	Not
Was the order of ex-amination varied?	Not	Not	Not	Not	Not	+	+	Not	Not	Not	Not
Is the time period between reference standard and index test short enough?	Un	Un	Un	Not	Not	+	Un	Un	Not	Un	+
Was the time interval between repeated measures appropriate?	Un	Un	Un	+	+	+	+	Un	Un	+	+
Was the reference standard independent to the index test?	+	+	+	Not	Not	+	+	+	Not	+	+
Was the execution of the index test de-scribed in sufficient detail?	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Was the execution of the reference standard described in sufficient detail?	+	+	+	Not	Not	+	+	-	Not	+	+
Were withdrawals from the study ex-plained?	Un	Un	Un	Un	+	Un	Un	Un	Un	+	Un
Were the statistical methods appropriate?	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	+	+	+
Total score	9	9	8	7	7	11	11	5	5	7	10

Not = Not applicable, Un = Unclear, (+) = Yes, (-) = No.