Objectives: To learn and discuss how to prepare a 'Summary of findings' (SoF) table for diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) reviews and apply the GRADE approach for assessing the confidence in the estimated effects.
Description: Cochrane and many other organizations use the GRADE approach to assess the confidence in the estimates of effects summarized in a systematic review. Authors of DTA reviews rate the confidence in estimates of test accuracy and present the most important information and findings of a review in SoF tables. They are encouraged to seek and present information about proportion of inconclusive test results and complications of performing tests themselves. During the workshop, participants will learn, discuss and provide feedback about the suggested traditional and interactive presentations of test accuracy developed and tested in projects supported by Cochrane Methods Innovation Fund and the EU-sponsored DECIDE project.
Decision makers recognize that DTA is a surrogate for patient-important outcomes. They use DTA reviews and additional information about availability and effectiveness of treatments, test-related adverse effects and anxiety, resource use, etc. to infer the relation between test accuracy and patient-important outcomes. Authors of DTA reviews may choose to collect and present additional information required for decision making systematically, above that about the DTA alone.
PLEASE BRING YOUR COMPUTERS for hands-on work examples.