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Bayes Lines Tool (BLT): a SQL-script for analyzing diagnostic test results with an application to SARS-CoV-2-testing [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
- Source :
- F1000Research. 10:369
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- London, UK: F1000 Research Limited, 2021.
-
Abstract
- The performance of diagnostic tests crucially depends on the disease prevalence, test sensitivity, and test specificity. However, these quantities are often not well known when tests are performed outside defined routine lab procedures which make the rating of the test results somewhat problematic. A current example is the mass testing taking place within the context of the world-wide SARS-CoV-2 crisis. Here, for the first time in history, laboratory test results have a dramatic impact on political decisions. Therefore, transparent, comprehensible, and reliable data is mandatory. It is in the nature of wet lab tests that their quality and outcome are influenced by multiple factors reducing their performance by handling procedures, underlying test protocols, and analytical reagents. These limitations in sensitivity and specificity have to be taken into account when calculating the real test results. As a resolution method, we have developed a Bayesian calculator, the Bayes Lines Tool (BLT), for analyzing disease prevalence, test sensitivity, test specificity, and, therefore, true positive, false positive, true negative, and false negative numbers from official test outcome reports. The calculator performs a simple SQL (Structured Query Language) query and can easily be implemented on any system supporting SQL. We provide an example of influenza test results from California, USA, as well as two examples of SARS-CoV-2 test results from official government reports from The Netherlands and Germany-Bavaria, to illustrate the possible parameter space of prevalence, sensitivity, and specificity consistent with the observed data. Finally, we discuss this tool’s multiple applications, including its putative importance for informing policy decisions.
- Subjects :
- Software Tool Article
Articles
Bayes
COVID19
PCR Test
SARS-CoV-2
SQL
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 20461402
- Volume :
- 10
- Database :
- F1000Research
- Journal :
- F1000Research
- Notes :
- Revised Amendments from Version 1 The main change to the former version is that this version includes a new Figure 5 which shows the negative predictive value of SARS-CoV-2 tests in the Netherlands and therefore complements Figure 4 which shows the positive predictive value., , [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsfor.10.12688.f1000research.51061.2
- Document Type :
- software-tool
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.51061.2