SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF DIFFERENT DIAGNOSTIC-CRITERIA FOR BEHCETS-DISEASE ACCORDING TO THE LATENT CLASS APPROACH

In this study, we estimated the sensitivity and specificity of differe nt criteria (International, Japanese, Mason & Barnes, O'Duffy, James a nd clinical judgement) for Behcet's Disease using the latent class app roach. Thirty-two consecutive Behcet's Disease patients who were initi ally diagnosed according to clinical judgement, and 56 control patient s with other rheumatic diseases, were recruited from the rheumatology out-patient clinic. The patients had their charts reviewed, were inter viewed and clinically examined. Various models including different com binations of the six diagnostic criteria were tested. In the model tha t included all the information gathered, the International (sensitivit y = 0.95, specificity=1.00), Japanese (sensitivity = 1.00, specificity = 0.95) and Mason & Barnes criteria (sensitivity = 1.00, specificity = 0.94) were the most accurate. Clinican judgement also performed very well in identifying a Behcet's Disease case (sensitivity = 1.00, spec ificity = 0.85). The International, Japanese and Mason & Barnes criter ia were the most accurate. The latent class method led to these conclu sions without making any initial assumptions about the accuracy of any of the competing criteria (including clinical judgement).