title: Diagnostic accuracy of refractometer and Brix refractometer to assess failure of passive transfer in calves: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: Calves are highly dependent of colostrum (and antibody) intake because they are born agammaglobulinemic. The transfer of passive immunity in calves can be assessed directly by dosing immunoglobulin G (IgG) or by refractometry or Brix refractometry. The latter are easier to perform routinely in the field. This paper presents a protocol for a systematic review meta-analysis to assess the diagnostic accuracy of refractometry or Brix refractometry versus dosage of IgG as a reference standard test. With this review protocol we aim to be able to report refractometer and Brix refractometer accuracy in terms of sensitivity and specificity as well as to quantify the impact of any study characteristic on test accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Clinical sciences,Faculté de médecine vétérinaire,University of Montréal,Quebec,Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buczinski
authors.affiliation: Clinical sciences,Faculté de médecine vétérinaire,University of Montréal,Quebec,Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fecteau
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology,University of California-Davis,One Shields Avenue,Davis,CA 95616,USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chigerwe
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine,Faculty of Sciences,Integrated Veterinary Research Unit,Research Institute for Life Sciences,Université de Namur,Rue de Bruxelles 61,5000 Namur,Belgium.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vandeweerd
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology*; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D017594:Publication Bias; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: antibody; immunoglobulin G; radial immunodiffusion; turbidimetric immunoassay