Hidden bias skews medical test accuracy studies, threatens clinical decisions

Researchers have identified a systematic flaw in how diagnostic accuracy studies are combined and analyzed—a problem that can mask poor test performance and mislead clinicians. The finding matters because hospitals and health systems rely on these pooled analyses to choose which diagnostic tools to adopt, meaning flawed data could lead to worse patient outcomes and wasted resources.

Originaltitel: Disguised incorporation bias and meta‐analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies