title: The use of meta-analysis in technology assessment: a meta-analysis of the enzyme immunosorbent assay human immunodeficiency virus antibody test.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of meta-analysis and regression analysis in evaluating technologies by applying these techniques to an evaluation of the enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody test. This meta-analysis synthesizes 26 studies which report on sensitivity and specificity of the EIA HIV antibody test. Sensitivity and specificity values vary widely, ranging between 89-100% sensitivity and 67-100% specificity. To examine this variation, a regression model is tested that explains specificity as a function of the year the study was published, the population being sampled, and a quality rating. The model explains 29% of the total variation. The most significant determinant of specificity is the type of population sampled; studies with low prevalence samples have higher specificity. This study demonstrated that meta-analysis can be used to synthesize literature on technologies, and that regression analysis can be used to examine the sources of variation that meta-analysis uncovers. It also demonstrates the need for studies of test performance to use standardized research procedures and to fully report their methods and results.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000592:standards*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical / Q000379:methods*