Performance and the corresponding 95% CIs of three stool tests in screening important lesions in the lower or upper gastrointestinal tract under three different scenarios in the hospital-based deviation cohort
| Outcome variables | Sensitivity (%) | Specificity (%) | Positive likelihood ratio | Negative likelihood ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario 1: screen for lesions in the lower or upper gastrointestinal tract in all participants | ||||
| Guaiac-based faecal occult blood test | ||||
| Important lesions in the lower gastrointestinal tract | 61/174 (35.1; 28.4–42.4) | 2637/2965 (88.9; 87.8–90.0) | 3.17 (2.53–3.98) | 0.73 (0.65–0.82) |
| Colorectal cancers | 34/39 (87.2; 73.3–94.4) | 2770/3133 (88.4; 87.3–89.5) | 7.52 (6.45–8.78) | 0.15 (0.06–0.33) |
| Important lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 98/523 (18.7; 15.6–22.3) | 2350/2648 (88.8; 87.5–89.9) | 1.67 (1.35–2.05) | 0.92 (0.88–0.96) |
| Cancers in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 21/78 (26.9; 18.3–37.7) | 2718/3093 (87.9; 86.7–89.0) | 2.22 (1.52–3.24) | 0.83 (0.73–0.95) |
| Faecal immunochemical test | ||||
| Important lesions in the lower gastrointestinal tract | 65/174 (37.4; 30.5–44.7) | 2900/2965 (97.8; 97.2–98.3) | 17.04 (12.52–23.19) | 0.64 (0.57–0.72) |
| Colorectal cancers | 32/39 (82.1; 67.3–91.0) | 3032/3133 (96.8; 96.1–97.3) | 25.45 (19.99–32.41) | 0.19 (0.10–0.36) |
| Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test | ||||
| Important lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 277/523 (53.0; 48.7–57.2) | 2137/2648 (80.7; 79.2–82.2) | 2.75 (2.45–3.07) | 0.58 (0.53–0.64) |
| Cancers in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 42/78 (53.9; 42.9–64.5) | 2347/3093 (75.9; 74.3–77.4) | 2.23 (1.80–2.77) | 0.61 (0.48–0.77) |
| Scenario 2: screen for lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract in participants with negative results on the faecal immunochemical test | ||||
| Guaiac-based faecal occult blood test | ||||
| Important lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 81/497 (16.3; 13.3–19.8) | 2290/2542 (90.1; 88.9–91.2) | 1.64 (1.31–2.07) | 0.93 (0.89–0.97) |
| Cancers in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 12/69 (17.4; 10.2–28.0) | 2649/2970 (89.2; 88.1–90.3) | 1.61 (0.96–2.73) | 0.93 (0.83–1.03) |
| H pylori stool antigen test | ||||
| Important lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 261/497 (52.5; 48.1–56.9) | 2049/2542 (80.6; 79.0–82.1) | 2.71 (2.41–3.04) | 0.59 (0.54–0.65) |
| Cancers in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 36/69 (52.2; 40.6–63.5) | 2252/2970 (75.8; 74.2–77.3) | 2.16 (1.71–2.73) | 0.63 (0.49–0.81) |
| Scenario 3: screen for lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract in participants with normal results on the colonoscopy | ||||
| Guaiac-based faecal occult blood test | ||||
| Important lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 88/492 (17.9; 14.8–21.5) | 2258/2506 (90.1; 88.9–91.2) | 1.81 (1.45–2.26) | 0.91 (0.87–0.95) |
| Cancers in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 21/77 (27.3; 18.6–38.1) | 2606/2921 (89.2; 88.0–90.3) | 2.53 (1.73–3.70) | 0.82 (0.71–0.94) |
| H pylori stool antigen test | ||||
| Important lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 261/492 (53.1; 48.6–57.4) | 2022/2506 (80.7; 79.1–82.2) | 2.75 (2.45–3.08) | 0.58 (0.53–0.64) |
| Cancers in the upper gastrointestinal tract | 41/77 (53.3; 42.2–64.0) | 2217/2921 (75.9; 74.3–77.4) | 2.21 (1.78–2.75) | 0.62 (0.49–0.78) |