| Title | Complexity and categorical analysis may improve the interpretation of agreement studies using continuous variables |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| 2011 |
| Authors | Costa-Santos, C, Bernardes, J, Antunes, L, Ayres-de-Campos, D |
| Journal | Journal of Evaluation in Clinical PracticeJ. Eval. Clin. Pract. |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pagination | 511 - 514 |
| Date Published | 2011/// |
| 13561294 (ISSN) |
| article, Biomedical research, Cardiotocography, clinical decision making, clinical practice, complexity, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Decision Making, entropy, Female, fetus heart rate, Heart Rate, Fetal, human, Humans, observer variation, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, priority journal, Reproducibility of Results, statistical data interpretation, Uncertainty |
| Rationale Complex clinical scenarios involving a high degree of uncertainty frequently lead to a poor agreement over diagnosis and management. However, inconsistent results can be found with the most widely used measures of agreement for continuous variables - the limits of agreement and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Aims and objectives We aim to improve the interpretation of agreement studies using continues variables. Methods and results Evaluation of agreement may be improved by complexity analysis and by categorization of variables, followed by the use of the proportions of agreement. Conclusions The average never characterizes a complex phenomenon and the methods used to access agreement in continuous variables are based on the mean. For future agreement studies, involving complex continuous variables, we recommend a complexity and categorical analysis. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. |
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