| Study characteristics |
| Patient sampling |
The study had access to 1752 patient records collated from 5 data sources from neuropsychology and geriatric psychiatry practice. Sampling frame for record collection is not described. 702 records collected between 2005 and 2008 were used to generate data evaluating Mini‐Cog test accuracy. |
| Patient characteristics and setting |
Records used in the analysis were collected in a neuropsychology setting where individuals were referred by a physician or agency in the community. No inclusion or exclusion criteria are listed. |
| Index tests |
Mini‐Cog was retrospectively derived from results of the Mini‐Mental State Examination (which contains 3‐item recall) and Clock Draw Test, so the index test was not conducted contemporaneously as expected in the review question. Mini‐Cog was scored according to original criteria in Borson 2000. |
| Target condition and reference standard(s) |
Clinical diagnosis of dementia was determined based on DSM‐IV criteria by 1 of 6 licenced psychologists. Patients were evaluated based on their age‐ and education‐adjusted neuropsychological test scores, medical and psychiatric history, and interview with a family informant. |
| Flow and timing |
Study authors made use of 5 data sets to perform the retrospective analyses reported in the paper. Those in neuropsychology received a different reference standard assessment to those assessed in geriatric psychiatry. Reason for use of only 1 set of individuals assessed in neuropsychology for calculation of test accuracy results not provided in the paper. |
| Comparative |
|
| Notes |
|
| Methodological quality |
| Item |
Authors' judgement |
Risk of bias |
Applicability concerns |
| DOMAIN 1: Patient Selection |
| Was a consecutive or random sample of patients enrolled? |
No |
|
|
| Was a case‐control design avoided? |
Yes |
|
|
| Did the study avoid inappropriate exclusions? |
Unclear |
|
|
| |
|
High |
Unclear |
| DOMAIN 2: Index Test All tests |
| Were the index test results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the reference standard? |
Unclear |
|
|
| If a threshold was used, was it pre‐specified? |
Yes |
|
|
| |
|
Unclear |
High |
| DOMAIN 3: Reference Standard |
| Is the reference standards likely to correctly classify the target condition? |
Yes |
|
|
| Were the reference standard results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the index tests? |
Yes |
|
|
| |
|
Low |
Low |
| DOMAIN 4: Flow and Timing |
| Was there an appropriate interval between index test and reference standard? |
Yes |
|
|
| Did all patients receive the same reference standard? |
No |
|
|
| Were all patients included in the analysis? |
No |
|
|
| |
|
High |
|
