Dear Sirs,
Statistical probabilistic reasoning is important in understanding the likelihood of ‘false-positive’ (FP) and ‘false negative’ (FN) results when requesting any diagnostic test. In cohorts with a low prevalence of disease, a significant number of positive results are likely to be FP. Conversely, when the disease has high prevalence, FN results increase.
Identification of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) relies on clinical history, examination and electrocardiogram (ECG)/laboratory results. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) define angina as “typical” or “atypical” depend