Skip to main content

Table 3 Single term with the best sensitivity, best specificity, and lowest NNR for detecting articles reporting on patient preferences on treatment outcomes

From: The development of PubMed search strategies for patient preferences for treatment outcomes

Search term

Se (%) [95 % CI]

Sp (%) [95 % CI]

Ac (%)

NNR

Best sensitivity**

 Preferen*

75.0 [73.7–76.3]

97.2 [96.7–97.7]

97.1

13.9

 Relat*[tiab]

75.0 [73.7–76.3]

79.5 [78.2–80.7]

79.4

94.8

 “Middle Aged”[Mesh]

66.7 [65.2–68.1]

77.6 [76.3–78.9]

77.5

116.7

Best specificity**

 Logit

33.3 [31.9–34.8]

99.8 [99.7–100.0]

99.6

2.8

 “Choice Behavior” [Mesh]

33.3 [31.9–34.8]

99.3 [99.0–99.6]

99.1

8.3

 “Patient Preference” [Mesh]

50.0 [48.5–51.5]

99.3 [99.0–99.5]

99.1

6.0

Best accuracy**

 Logit

33.3 [31.9–34.8]

99.8 [99.7–100.0]

99.6

2.8

 “Patient Preference”[mesh]

50.0 [48.5–51.5]

99.3 [99.0–99.5]

99.1

6.0

 Choice Behavior[mh]

33.3 [31.9–34.8]

99.3 [99.0–99.6]

99.1

8.3

Lowest NNR**

 Logit

33.3 [31.9–34.8]

99.8 [99.7–100.0]

99.6

2.8

 “Patient Preference”[mesh]

50.0 [48.5–51.5]

99.3 [99.0–99.5]

99.1

6.0

 “Choice Behavior” [mesh]

33.3 [31.9–34.8]

99.3 [99.0–99.6]

99.1

8.3

  1. Se Sensitivity, Sp Specificity, Ac Accuracy, NNR Number Needed to Read, [tiab] title/abstract, words and numbers included in the title, collection title, abstract, and other abstract of a citation, [ti] title, words and numbers included in the title or collection title. **Keeping sensitivity > =25 %, specificity > =75 %, and accuracy > = 75 %