Can the Schwarz and Lalouch concept of differentiating between explanatory and pragmatic studies be useful for diagnostic test studies?

Bossuyt et  al report on an intriguing extension of the definitions and characteristics differentiating pragmatic from explanatory studies described by Schwartz and Lellouch [1] for randomized trials of interventions to define a similar continuum for diagnostic accuracy studies. In this extension, explanatory studies aim to better understand the behavior of a test; in contrast, pragmatic ones aim to support recommendations or decisions about using the test in clinical practice. The key differentiating characteristics for diagnostic studies include study eligibility criteria, the recruitment of patients, the reference standard, and the choice of the statistical analysis.
Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology - Category: Epidemiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research