Optimal characteristics of HCV scoring*
| Age <25 years | Age 25–29 years | Age 30–39 years | Age ≥40 years | |||||
| Score cut-points† | Sensitivity (%) | Specificity (%) | Sensitivity (%) | Specificity (%) | Sensitivity (%) | Specificity (%) | Sensitivity (%) | Specificity (%) |
| Development data set (n=10 662) | ||||||||
| ≥10 | 96 | 17 | 99 | 9 | 99 | 7 | 98 | 10 |
| ≥15 | 92 | 32 | 95 | 23 | 97 | 15 | 97 | 19 |
| ≥20 | 74 | 60 | 86 | 42 | 90 | 36 | 94 | 24 |
| ≥25 | 55 | 74 | 68 | 64 | 73 | 57 | 75 | 54 |
| Validation data set cross-sectional (n=5465) | ||||||||
| ≥10 | 96 | 18 | 99 | 8 | 99 | 10 | 99 | 10 |
| ≥15 | 94 | 32 | 95 | 25 | 97 | 19 | 97 | 15 |
| ≥20 | 76 | 57 | 88 | 40 | 87 | 43 | 94 | 21 |
| ≥25 | 59 | 72 | 67 | 61 | 73 | 61 | 74 | 52 |
↵* HCV score: For age <25 years: (female)×3 + (indigenous)×0 + (injecting 5–9 years)×7 + (injecting ≥10 years)×11 + morphine×8 + (other drugs, eg, benzos, anabolic steroids, mixed drugs)×7 + (heroin)×11 + (cocaine)×19 + (methadone)×11 + (morphine)×8 + (buprenorphine)×11 + (daily or more)×3 + (shared needle and syringe)×0 + (shared other equipment)×3 + (been in prison)×8. For age 25–29 years: (female)×4 + (indigenous)×0 + (injecting 5–9 years)×6 + (injecting ≥10 years)×9 + morphine×6 + (other drugs, eg, benzos, anabolic steroids, mixed drugs)×5 + (heroin)×10 + (cocaine)×13 + (methadone)×12 + (morphine)×5 + (buprenorphine)×10 + (daily or more)×4 + (shared needle and syringe)×4 + (shared other equipment)×0 + (been in prison)×6. For age 30–39 years: (female)×3 + (indigenous)×3 + (injecting 5–9 years)×7 + (injecting ≥10 years)×13 + morphine×7 + (other drugs, eg, benzos, anabolic steroids, mixed drugs)×6 + (heroin)×11 + (cocaine)×11 + (methadone)×11 + (morphine)×7 + (buprenorphine)×10 + (daily or more)×0 + (shared needle and syringe)×3 + (shared other equipment)×0 + (been in prison)×6. For age ≥40 years: (female)×0 + (indigenous)×0 + (injecting 5–9 years)×4 + (injecting ≥10 years)×15 + morphine×7 + (other drugs, eg, benzos, anabolic steroids, mixed drugs)×4 + (heroin)×9 + (cocaine)×13 + (methadone)×11 + (morphine)×7 + (buprenorphine)×6 + (daily or more)×0 + (shared needle and syringe)×3 + (shared other equipment)×0 + (been in prison)×6.
↵† Approximate cut-points for the first, second, third and the fourth quintiles.
HCV, hepatitis C virus.