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Table 2 Results of subgroup analyses and accuracy of leucocyte-esterase in urine dipsticks in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections or bacteriuria. (subgroups of studies without information about the study characteristic at issue are not shown) (no. of studies: 35)

From: The urine dipstick test useful to rule out infections. A meta-analysis of the accuracy

Study characteristic

N

Sensitivity(95%CI)

Specificity(95%CI)

DOR(95%CI)

POPULATION#

    

   non-urological

33

0.62 (0.54–0.71)

0.70 (0.60–0.81)

9 (6 – 12)

   urological

2

0.86 (0.68–1.00)

0.93 (0.81–1.00)

276 (2 – 41974)

NON-UROLOGICAL STUDIES (N = 33)

    

DISEASE#

    

   bacteriuria

8

0.56 (0.38–0.82)

0.61 (0.41–0.90)

5 (5 – 8)

   UTI

25

0.64 (0.56–0.74)

0.73 (0.63–0.85)

11 (6 – 19)

SETTING

    

   family physician

6

0.87 (0.83–0.92)

0.36 (0.21–0.64)

5 (2 – 28)

   outpatient

12

0.50 (0.35–0.68)

0.80 (0.72–0.88)

8 (5 – 12)

   emergency

3

0.56 90.41–0.75)

0.86 (0.74–0.99)

14 (2 – 119)

   inpatient

11

0.66 (0.60–0.73)

0.81 (0.74–0.88)

11 (8 – 16)

LEVEL OF CARE

    

   community

1

0.63 (0.08–1.00)

0.85 (0.82–0.88)

9 (1 – 72)

   primary care

10

0.76 (0.60–0.98)

0.46 (0.32–0.68)

6 (3 – 11)

   secondary care

8

0.48 (0.33–0.71)

0.83 (0.73–0.93)

8 (4 – 14)

   tertiary care

14

0.62 (0.55–0.70)

0.84 (0.80–0.89)

13 (8 – 20)

READER OF TEST

    

   family physician

2

0.86 (0.71–1.00)

0.17 (0.04–0.62)

2 (0.3 – 10)

   nurse

7

0.67 (0.58–0.79)

0.65 (0.37–1.00)

7 (4 – 10)

   clinician

2

0.34 (0.18–0.64)

0.90 (0.68–1.00)

7 (0.5 – 87)

   lab worker

17

0.59 (0.47–0.73)

0.81 (0.76–0.87)

11 (7 – 18)

  1. DOR: diagnostic odds ratio; #: DOR significantly different between subgroups