Table 3.
QUADAS criteria and modifications used in the current study.
| Original QUADAS Whiting et al. (2011) | Modified QUADAS |
|---|---|
| 1. Was the spectrum of patients representative of the patients who will receive the test in practice? | This question was not applicable. The scoping review focused on three target groups. The studies were only included if fitted to the target groups. |
| 2. Were selection criteria clearly described? | This question was unmodified. |
| 3. Is the reference standard likely to correctly classify the target condition? | This question was not applicable. |
| 4. Is the time period between reference standard and index test short enough to be reasonably sure that the target condition did not change between the two tests? | This question was not applicable. We did not compare results obtained with a reference and index test. |
| 5. Did the sample or a random selection of the sample receive verification using a reference standard of diagnosis? | This question was not applicable. |
| 6. Did patients receive the same reference standard regardless of the index test result? | This question was not applicable. |
| 7. Was the reference standard independent of the index test (i.e., the index test did not form part of the reference standard?) | This question was not applicable. |
| 8. Was the execution of the index test described in sufficient detail to permit replication of the test? | We modified the questions 8 and 9 to a more general question regarding test procedure. Was the execution of the test procedure described in sufficient detail to permit replication of the test? |
| 9. Was the execution of the reference standard described in sufficient detail to permit its replication? | See 8. |
| 10. Were the index test results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the reference standard? | This question was not applicable. |
| 11. Were the reference standard results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the index test? | This question was not applicable. |
| 12. Were the same clinical data available when test results were interpreted as would be available when the test is used in practice? | This question was not applicable. We did not aim at one particular reference test. |
| 13. Were uninterpretable/intermediate test results reported? | This question was unmodified. |
| 14. Were withdrawals from the study explained? | This question was unmodified. |