Linear combination methods to improve diagnostic/prognostic accuracy on future observations. (August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kang, Le; Liu, Aiyi; Tian, Lili
• Other Names: Lawson Andrew B guest-editor.; Lee Duncan guest-editor.; MacNab Ying guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Statistical methods in medical research. Volume 25:Number 4(2016:Aug.)
• Page Start: 1359
• Page End: 1380
• Publication Date: 2016-08
• Subjects: Multiple biomarkers -- receiver operating characteristic curve -- area under the receiver operating characteristic curve -- linear combination -- diagnostic/prognostic accuracy; Medicine -- Research -- Statistical methods -- Periodicals; Research -- Periodicals; Review Literature -- Periodicals; Statistics -- methods -- Periodicals; Médecine -- Recherche -- Méthodes statistiques -- Périodiques; 610.727
• DOI: 10.1177/0962280213481053
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0962-2802

Abstract

Multiple diagnostic tests or biomarkers can be combined to improve diagnostic accuracy. The problem of finding the optimal linear combinations of biomarkers to maximise the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve has been extensively addressed in the literature. The purpose of this article is threefold: (1) to provide an extensive review of the existing methods for biomarker combination; (2) to propose a new combination method, namely, the nonparametric stepwise approach; (3) to use leave-one-pair-out cross-validation method, instead of re-substitution method, which is overoptimistic and hence might lead to wrong conclusion, to empirically evaluate and compare the performance of different linear combination methods in yielding the largest area under receiver operating characteristic curve. A data set of Duchenne muscular dystrophy was analysed to illustrate the applications of the discussed combination methods.