Diagnostic accuracy of pleural fluid NT-pro-BNP for pleural effusions of cardiac origin: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Table 1 Characteristics of the studies included in the meta-analysis.

Study	Year	Country	Design	Assay Type	Reference Standard	Control Group^†
Tomcsanyi et al[16]	2004	Hungary	PC	ECLIA(1)^‡	Clinical Criteria* a, b, c, e	57% M; 14% I; 29% O
Porcel et al[17]	2004	Spain	PC	ECLIA(1)	Clinical Criteria* a, b, c, d, e, f	NR
Kolditz et al[18]	2006	Germany	PC	ECLIA(1)	Clinical Criteria* a, b, c, e, f	59% M; 21% I; 30% O
Porcel et al[19]	2007	Spain	PC	ECLIA(1)	Clinical Criteria* a, b, c, d, e, f	48% M; 20% I; 32% O
Liao et al[20]	2008	USA	PC	ELISA	Clinical Criteria* a, c, e	25% M; 0% I; 75% O
Han et al[21]	2008	Korea	PC	ECLIA(1)	Clinical Criteria* a, b, e, f	24% M; 66% I; 10% O
Seyhan et al[22]	2009	Turkey	PC	ECLIA	Clinical Criteria* N/A	N/A
Porcel et al[23]	2009	Spain	RC	ECLIA(2)	Clinical Criteria* a, b, c, e, f	44% M; 29% I; 27% O
Bayram et al[24]	2009	Turkey	PC	ECLIA(1)	Clinical Criteria* a, b, c, e, f	23% M; 31% I; 46% O
Long et al[25]	2010	USA	RC	ELISA	Clinical Criteria* a, b, c, e	25% M; 25% I; 25% O

* = heart failure diagnosis based on (a) history, or (b) physical exam, or (c) chest x-ray, or (d) electrocardiogram, or (e) echocardiogram, or (f) response to diuretics; † = non-cardiac effusions; ‡ = generation of assay (one or two); ECLIA = electrochemical luminescence immunoassay; ELISA = enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; I = infectious effusion; M = malignant effusion; N/A = not available; NR = not recorded; O = other causes (i.e. connective tissue disease, pleuritis, post-CABG, hepatic hydrothorax, pulmonary embolism, etc); PC = prospective cohort; RC = retrospective cohort;

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