Functional sensitivity could be an optional threshold value to rule out the presence of circulating CtnI.
This will allow efficient diagnosis of UTIs, using only those diagnostic indicators which have proven added value to rule in or rule out UTI.
Stress single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has a high negative predictive value to rule out CHD and does not require the use of contrast medium.
A BARD score of less than 2 in hospital populations of NAFLD has a high negative predictive value to rule out significant hepatic fibrosis.
Data from the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis [ 1] indicated that arterial blood gas data are of insufficient value to rule out the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE).
This index is easy to calculate with no additional cost to the patient, and it has a good positive predictive value to predict fibrosis; however, its negative predictive value to rule out fibrosis is suboptimal.
Its limited sensitivity requires that it is used in conjunction with other diagnostic tests that collectively provide adequate sensitivity for TB diagnosis as well as sufficiently high negative predictive value to rule out TB.
We identified three biomarkers with high negative predictive value to rule out sepsis: PCT (99% at a cut-off value of 0.2 ng/ml) [ 34]; activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) waveform (96%) [ 35]; and fibrin degradation products (100% for Gram-negative sepsis by ELISA assay) [ 36].
The presence of any symptom suggestive of TB (i.e. any one of cough, haemoptysis, fever, night sweats, weight loss, chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue) plus any abnormality on chest radiography offered the highest sensitivity and negative predictive value to rule out active TB.
