Diagnosis

investigating a test for diagnosis

Is this (diagnosis or early dectection) or test worthwhile or accurate?

• 1) Randomized controlled trial
• 2) Test for developed (previously) diagnostic criteria with consecutive patients and consistently applied reference standard

• 1) Prospective cohort (non-randomized comparative) study
• 2) Developing diagnostic criteria with consecutive patients and consistently applied reference standard

• 1) Retrospective cohort (non-randomized comparative) study
• 2) Case-control study
• 3) No consistently applied reference standard

• 1) Case series
• 2) Nonindependent reference standard

• Mechanism-based reasoning

What is the natural history of the disease if we do not add a therapy?

Prospective cohort study (all patients entrolled at an early and uniform point in the course of the disease

Prospective cohort (non-randomized comparative) study (patients enrolled at different points in the course of the disease

• 1) Retrospective cohort (non-randomized comparative) study
• 2) Case-control study

• Case series

• Mechanism-based reasoning

• Randomized controlled trial

• Prospective cohort (non-randomized comparative) study

• 1) Retrospective cohort (non-randomized comparative) study
• 2) Case-control study

• Case series

• Mechanism-based reasoning