title: [Accuracy of immunochemical faecal occult blood test for colorectal cancer: meta-analysis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the accuracy of immunological fecal occult blood test (iFOBT) for detection of colorectal cancer (CRC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1 197 studies published before June 2014 were selected from PubMed and Embase and 17 of which were finally included in this meta-analysis. A bivariate mixed-effects models was used for overall value merging and heterogeneity testing. In addition to the overall sensitivity and specificity, the analyses were also performed among certain subgroups, including a "colonoscopy group" (all were referred for colonoscopy diagnosis regardless screening results) and a "follow-up group" (only the screening positive were referred and all were then followed up), a qualitative group and a quantitative group (classified by the way of iFOBT result reading).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 161 502 subjects aged from 48 to 63 years were included in the analysis. IFOBT had an overall integrated sensitivity of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79-0.89) (heterogeneity test: Q = 59.67, P < 0.001) and an overall integrated specificity of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.92-0.94) (heterogeneity test: Q = 1 722.53, P < 0.001) for detection of CRC. In the subgroup analysis, it was found that in the "colonoscopy group" and in the "follow-up group", the sensitivity were 0.81 (95%CI: 0.73-0.87) and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.81-0.92), respectively; the specificity were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89-0.93) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.94-0.96), respectively. It was also found that in the qualitative group and the quantitative group, the sensitivity were 0.84 (95% CI: 0.76-0.90) and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78-0.92), respectively; the specificity were 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91-0.96) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91-0.94), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFOBT had high overall sensitivity and specificity for detecting colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: College of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
authors.forename: Yansong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Email: lgx6301@163.com.
authors.forename: Guoxiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Huiyao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Email: shijf@cicams.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Jufang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D009780:Occult Blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity