Results of the bivariate meta-analyses: pooled sensitivity and specificity with 95% CI (created by the authors)
| Test evaluations included in analysis (n) | Paediatric study participants included in analysis (n) | Sensitivity (95% CI) | Specificity (95% CI) | |
| All studies | 17 | 6287 | 64.2 (57.4 to 70.5) | 99.1 (98.2 to 99.5) |
| Subgroup analysis | ||||
| (a) Symptom status | ||||
| - symptomatic population | 13 | 3407 | 71.8 (63.6 to 78.8) | 98.7 (96.6 to 99.5) |
| - asymptomatic population | 10 | 2431 | 56.2 (47.6 to 64.4) | 98.6 (97.3 to 99.3) |
| - mixed population | 3 | 419 | 63.4 (37.3 to 83.5) | 98.7 (90.8 to 99.8) |
| (b) Setting | ||||
| - community testing site | 8 | 2680 | 64.1 (54.7 to 72.6) | 98.7 (97.6 to 99.3) |
| - hospital test centre/emergency department | 9 | 3607 | 64.1 (53.8 to 73.2) | 99.4 (98.2 to 99.8) |
| (c) Sample type (index test) | ||||
| - nasopharyngeal | 10 | 3505 | 64.3 (54.7 to 73.0) | 99.4 (98.5 to 99.8) |
| - not nasopharyngeal | 7 | 2782 | 64.6 (54.4 to 73.7) | 98.5 (96.7 to 99.3) |
| (d) Sample type (reference standard) | ||||
| - nasopharyngeal | 11 | 3670 | 65.4 (56.3 to 73.5) | 99.1 (97.7 to 99.7) |
| - not nasopharyngeal | 6 | 2617 | 64.2 (53.1 to 74.0) | 98.9 (97.6 to 99.5) |
| (e) RT-PCR positivity threshold | ||||
| - Ct cut-off value=25 | 5 | 2062 | 92.4 (72.7 to 98.2) | 92.7 (85.4 to 96.5) |
| - Ct cut-off value=30 | 6 | 2271 | 83.3 (63.9 to 93.4) | 96.1 (91.8 to 98.2) |
| (f) Publication status | ||||
| - preprint | 5 | 1235 | 63.2 (55.6 to 70.3) | 98.9 (95.9 to 99.7) |
| - peer reviewed | 12 | 5052 | 64.3 (54.8 to 72.7) | 99.1 (98.1 to 99.6) |
Ct, cycle threshold; RT-PCR, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.