Certainty in an uncertain world: A clinicians' viewpoint of sensitivity and precision

Clinical practice is evolving as research evolves from the bench to the bedside. Similarly, analytical technologies are improving on an annual basis. Rightly or wrongly, increased emphasis is now placed by clinicians on such investigations to the detriment of clinical history and examination. As peo...

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Main Author: Twomey Patrick J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia, Belgrade 2008-01-01
Series:Journal of Medical Biochemistry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1452-8258/2008/1452-82580802135T.pdf
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author Twomey Patrick J.
author_facet Twomey Patrick J.
author_sort Twomey Patrick J.
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description Clinical practice is evolving as research evolves from the bench to the bedside. Similarly, analytical technologies are improving on an annual basis. Rightly or wrongly, increased emphasis is now placed by clinicians on such investigations to the detriment of clinical history and examination. As people live longer, the prevalence of long-term conditions such as thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease and malignancies is increasing. Clinical biochemistry assays play an important part in the management (screening, diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring) of such conditions. This is reflected in the UK since 2004 by the primary care contract where over 100 of the 550 clinical points depend on clinical biochemistry assay results. Inter-assay results may differ due to bias, precision, assay specificity and assay sensitivity. To date, little emphasis has been placed on the potential clinical effect of precision. This presentation will explore the effect that assay precision can have on the management of important long-term conditions such as thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease and malignancies.
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spelling doaj.art-60774390684a4aafac3ef71bdc8fa1b92022-12-22T00:20:12ZengSociety of Medical Biochemists of Serbia, BelgradeJournal of Medical Biochemistry1452-82581452-82662008-01-012721351381452-82580802135TCertainty in an uncertain world: A clinicians' viewpoint of sensitivity and precisionTwomey Patrick J.0Clinical Biochemistry, The Ipswich Hospital, Suffolk, United KingdomClinical practice is evolving as research evolves from the bench to the bedside. Similarly, analytical technologies are improving on an annual basis. Rightly or wrongly, increased emphasis is now placed by clinicians on such investigations to the detriment of clinical history and examination. As people live longer, the prevalence of long-term conditions such as thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease and malignancies is increasing. Clinical biochemistry assays play an important part in the management (screening, diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring) of such conditions. This is reflected in the UK since 2004 by the primary care contract where over 100 of the 550 clinical points depend on clinical biochemistry assay results. Inter-assay results may differ due to bias, precision, assay specificity and assay sensitivity. To date, little emphasis has been placed on the potential clinical effect of precision. This presentation will explore the effect that assay precision can have on the management of important long-term conditions such as thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease and malignancies.https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1452-8258/2008/1452-82580802135T.pdffunctional sensitivityimprecisionprostatespecific antigenthyroid stimulating hormonetroponinau3000i
spellingShingle Twomey Patrick J.
Certainty in an uncertain world: A clinicians' viewpoint of sensitivity and precision
Journal of Medical Biochemistry
functional sensitivity
imprecision
prostatespecific antigen
thyroid stimulating hormone
troponin
au3000i
title Certainty in an uncertain world: A clinicians' viewpoint of sensitivity and precision
title_full Certainty in an uncertain world: A clinicians' viewpoint of sensitivity and precision
title_fullStr Certainty in an uncertain world: A clinicians' viewpoint of sensitivity and precision
title_full_unstemmed Certainty in an uncertain world: A clinicians' viewpoint of sensitivity and precision
title_short Certainty in an uncertain world: A clinicians' viewpoint of sensitivity and precision
title_sort certainty in an uncertain world a clinicians viewpoint of sensitivity and precision
topic functional sensitivity
imprecision
prostatespecific antigen
thyroid stimulating hormone
troponin
au3000i
url https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1452-8258/2008/1452-82580802135T.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT twomeypatrickj certaintyinanuncertainworldacliniciansviewpointofsensitivityandprecision