SynthesisPLoS neglected tropical diseases2012
A systematic review of high quality diagnostic tests for Chagas disease.
Synthesis in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 49 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
49 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 94 citations in OpenAlex.
- Rapid diagnostic tests and ELISA for diagnosing chronic Chagas disease: Systematic revision and meta-analysis.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Pooled it
- Commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay versuspolymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz · 2016Pooled it
- Early assessment of antibodies decline in Chagas patients following treatment using a serological multiplex immunoassay.Nature communications · 2024Trial
- Evaluation of a Novel Peptide-Based ELISA for the Serological Diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection.Clinical and translational science · 2026Article
- Article
- Epitope mapping and conservation of antigens from the Multi-Cruzi immunoassay platform.Medical microbiology and immunology · 2026Article
- Article
- Diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Mexican populations: current conventional serology lacks adequate sensitivity and specificity.Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz · 2025Article
- Circulating extracellular vesicles in sera of chronic patients as a method for determining active parasitism in Chagas disease.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2024Article
- Chagas Disease across the Ages: A Historical View and Commentary on Navigating Future Challenges.Microorganisms · 2024Article
- Development of a Colorimetric Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay for the Detection ofDiagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Five-year serological and clinical evolution of chronic Chagas disease patients in Cochabamba, Bolivia.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2023Observational
- What Do You Need to Know before Studying Chagas Disease? A Beginner's Guide.Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2023Review
- Laboratory diagnosis ofFrontiers in parasitology · 2023Review
- Use of sera cell free DNA (cfDNA) and exovesicle-DNA for the molecular diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease.PloS one · 2023Article
- Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests for the Detection of Chagas Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Gold Nanoshells-Based Lateral Flow Assay for the Detection of Chagas Disease at the Point-of-Care.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2022Article
- Geographic Variations in Test Reactivity for the Serological Diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2021Article
- Evaluation of the Chagas Western Blot IgG Assay for the Diagnosis of Chagas Disease.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Shelter cats host infections with multiple Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing units in southern Louisiana.Veterinary research · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThere is significant heterogeneity in reported sensitivities and specificities of diagnostic serological assays for Chagas disease, as might be expected from studies that vary widely according to setting, research design, antigens employed, and reference standard. The purpose of this study is to summarize the reported accuracy of serological assays and to identify sources of heterogeneity including quality of research design. To avoid associated spectrum bias, our analysis was limited to cohort studies.
methodsWe completed a search of PubMed, a bibliographic review of potentially relevant articles, and a review of articles identified by a study author involved in this area of research. Studies were limited to prospective cohort studies of adults published since 1985. Measures of diagnostic accuracy were pooled using a Der Simonian Laird Random Effects Model. A subgroup analysis and meta regression were employed to identify sources of heterogeneity. The QUADAS tool was used to assess quality of included studies and Begg's funnel plot was used to assess publication bias.
resultsEighteen studies and 61 assays were included in the final analysis. Significant heterogeneity was found in all pre-determined subgroups. Overall sensitivity was 90% (95% CI: 89%-91%) and overall specificity was 98% (95% CI: 98%-98%).
conclusionSensitivity and specificity of serological assays for the diagnosis of Chagas disease appear less accurate than previously thought. Suggestions to improve the accuracy of reporting include the enrollment of patients in a prospective manner, double blinding, and providing an explicit method of addressing subjects that have an indeterminate diagnosis by either the reference standard or index test.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.