RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Relations among sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of medical tests based on biomarkers
JF General Psychiatry
JO Gen Psych
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e100453
DO 10.1136/gpsych-2020-100453
VO 34
IS 2
A1 Hongyue Wang
A1 Bokai Wang
A1 Xunan Zhang
A1 Changyong Feng
YR 2021
UL http://gpsych.bmj.com/content/34/2/e100453.abstract
AB Diagnostic tests are usually based on some quantitative biomarkers. Two key parameters used to characterise the quality of a test are test sensitivity and specificity. Predictive values of the disease status based on test results are also of interest in medical research and public health management. In this paper, we study the relations among sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the test. The core concept is risk function, which is assumed to be an increasing function of the biomarker. Our results show that test sensitivity and specificity change in opposite directions. The positive predictive value and the sensitivity also change in opposite directions. Likewise, the negative predictive value and the specificity change in opposite directions.