Prognostic Test Study Design

Question 1

What are the 2 typical study designs for a prognostic test?

Answer 1

Cohort and case controlled studies

Question 2

Which cohort designs are preferred, prospective or retrospective?

Answer 2

Prospective cohort

Question 3

What type of study takes a group of individuals exposed to a disease and follows them prospectively over time (usually) to record how their disease progresses to an outcome when compared to a similar group who do not have the disease

Answer 3

Cohort studies

Question 4

What type of study identifies a group of individuals with the disease and retrospectively compare them to a group of individuals without the disease to highlight any significant differences in exposure which may act as prognostic factors

Answer 4

Case controlled studies

Question 5

Reason for case controlled studies

Answer 5

Allows a rapid investigation in to potential risk factors for outcome (e.g. zika, HIV, H1N1)

Question 6

What are the problems with prospective designed studies?

Answer 6

They are difficult to conduct correctly and ethical concerns

Question 7

What does a prognostic factor study design answer?

Answer 7

In this population, does the EG lead to the outcome more often than the CG over the given time

Question 8

What does a prognostic test study design answer?

Answer 8

In this population, does the EG predict the outcome more often than in the CG over the given time