How to evaluate a diagnostic marker test: lessons from the rise and fall of dexamethasone suppression test
AA Nierenberg, AR Feinstein - Jama, 1988 - jamanetwork.com
To understand why the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) for the diagnosis of
depression became widely accepted and later rejected, we reviewed the sequence of
publications in the DST literature. To evaluate the events, we developed and applied
concepts of a five-phase process that can be used to assess the clinical utility of diagnostic
marker tests. The review showed that when the DST was introduced into the clinical arena,
the initial and final two phases of testing (I, IV, and V) had not been adequately conducted …
depression became widely accepted and later rejected, we reviewed the sequence of
publications in the DST literature. To evaluate the events, we developed and applied
concepts of a five-phase process that can be used to assess the clinical utility of diagnostic
marker tests. The review showed that when the DST was introduced into the clinical arena,
the initial and final two phases of testing (I, IV, and V) had not been adequately conducted …