Disease outcomeb | n | CRP AUCc (95% CI) | ESR AUC (95% CI) | P-value for CRP versus ESR | CRP and ESR AUC (95% CI) | P-value for combined versus better single test |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Any relevant disease | 3977 | 0.682 (0.672 to 0.690) | 0.665 (0.656 to 0.674) | <0.001 | 0.688 (0.678 to 0.697) | <0.001 |
Infections | 1565 | 0.617 (0.601 to 0.632) | 0.589 (0.574 to 0.603) | <0.001 | 0.619 (0.604 to 0.634) | 0.018 |
Autoimmune conditions | 1663 | 0.710 (0.697 to 0.724) | 0.708 (0.695 to 0.721) | 0.680 | 0.724 (0.710 to 0.737) | <0.001 |
Cancer | 882 | 0.774 (0.759 to 0.788) | 0.766 (0.752 to 0.781) | 0.017 | 0.777 (0.763 to 0.791) | 0.006 |
Polymyalgia rheumatica/giant cell arteritis | 476 | 0.882 (0.880 to 0.900) | 0.872 (0.860 to 0.890) | 0.099 | 0.887 (0.874 to 0.900) | 0.110 |
Rheumatoid arthritis | 557 | 0.691 (0.670 to 0.712) | 0.690 (0.669 to 0.711) | 0.890 | 0.700 (0.679 to 0.721) | 0.007 |
Seronegative arthritis | 151 | 0.700 (0.653 to 0.746) | 0.686 (0.638 to 0.734) | 0.510 | 0.706 (0.659 to 0.753) | 0.540 |
Inflammatory bowel disease | 223 | 0.698 (0.660 to 0.737) | 0.691 (0.653 to 0.730) | 0.450 | 0.701 (0.662 to 0.740) | 0.510 |
↵a Only 9494 (total amount in 1st column) out of the total 43 820 had a relevant disease outcome. The analysis of test performance uses those with and without relevant disease hence the total n = 43 820 is correct here.
↵b Where disease subtypes were examined, diseases other than the specified condition reported were classified as non-diseased.
↵c AUC = area under the receiver operator curve, where AUC = 0.5 is equivalent to no diagnostic utility and AUC = 1 is perfect diagnostic accuracy. AUC was calculated using logistic regression modelling with test result(s) on a log scale and age and sex as additional explanatory variables. CRP = C-reactive protein. ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate.