Clinical performance characteristics of a laboratory test. A practical approach in the autoimmune laboratory.

BACKGROUND

This review aims to make laboratory professionals and clinicians more familiar with the basic concepts that deal with the clinical performance characteristics of a laboratory test.

CONTENT

Basic measures of the clinical performance characteristics of a laboratory test, such as sensitivity, specificity, likelihoods, likelihood ratio, post-test probability, odds, Bayes theorem, and receiver-operator characteristic curve are explained. The concepts are illustrated with examples (anti-CCP antibodies) that are worked out in a spreadsheet.

SUMMARY

This review seeks to provide laboratory professionals and clinicians with a better understanding of the clinical performance characteristics of a laboratory test and of evidence-based laboratory medicine. The manuscript emphasizes a strong link between clinical statistics and evidence-based laboratory medicine.