- Allergen
A substance that causes an allergic reaction.
- Antibody
A large Y-shaped protein, also known as an immunoglobulin, which is used by the immune system to identify pathogens.
- Cost-effectiveness analysis
An economic analysis that converts effects into health terms and describes the costs for additional health gain.
- Cross-immunoreactive
An antibody which can interact or bind with more than one antigen.
- Cross-sensitisation
The process of producing a specific IgE antibody from one of several homologous allergens.
- False negative
Incorrect negative test result – number of diseased persons with a negative test result.
- False positive
Incorrect positive test result – number of non-diseased persons with a positive test result.
- Homologous allergens
Allergen molecules with very similar molecular structures.
- Immunoglobulin E
A type of antibody that is found in mammals and which mediates allergic responses.
- Immunoreactive
Interaction between an allergen and an antibody.
- Index test
The test whose performance is being evaluated.
- Meta-analysis
Statistical techniques used to combine the results of two or more studies and obtain a combined estimate of effect.
- Opportunity costs
The cost of forgone outcomes that could have been achieved through alternative investments.
- Publication bias
Bias arising from the preferential publication of studies with statistically significant results.
- Quality-adjusted life-year
A measure of health gain, used in economic evaluations, in which survival duration is weighted or adjusted by the patient’s quality of life during the survival period.
- Quality of life
An individual’s emotional, social and physical well-being and their ability to perform the ordinary tasks of living.
- Receiver operating characteristic curve
A graph that illustrates the trade-offs between sensitivity and specificity which result from varying the diagnostic threshold.
- Reference standard
The best currently available method for diagnosing the target condition. The index test is compared against this to allow calculation of estimates of accuracy.
- Sensitisation
The process of producing a specific immunoglobulin E antibody from exposure to a specific allergen.
- Sensitivity
Proportion of people with the target disorder who have a positive test result.
- Specificity
Proportion of people without the target disorder who have a negative test result.
- True negative
Correct negative test result – number of non-diseased persons with a negative test result.
- True positive
Correct positive test result – number of diseased persons with a positive test result.
