The hottest Medical Testing Substack posts right now

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Three Health Issues Converge on One Bone

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 878 implied HN points • 09 Dec 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Physical therapy Medical Testing
  1. Three health issues, including neurological problems and hearing loss, can converge on a little bony protuberance in the temporal bone behind the ear.
  2. Mild biotin deficiency may play a significant role in various health issues, requiring a careful balance of nutrients like biotin, pantothenic acid, and lipoic acid for resolution.
  3. Structural misalignment, such as a bent and twisted coccyx, can impact various health problems, including head tension and Eustachian tube dysfunction, ultimately affecting hearing and other neurological functions.

What does a positive RAT result mean?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 19 Jan 22
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Medical Testing
  1. A positive rapid antigen test result's accuracy depends on the prevalence of Covid-19. Lower prevalence leads to fewer false positives.
  2. During periods of low Covid-19 prevalence, the specificity of rapid tests is very high, above 99%. This means positive results are more likely to be accurate.
  3. Having a positive rapid test result during the Omicron wave means there is a less than 10% chance of it being a false positive. These tests are reliable.

When "Detecting Everything" Misses the Point

Nano Thoughts • 0 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Medical Testing Diagnostics Public Health Health Policy Cancer Screening
  1. Sensitivity and specificity are important for medical tests, but they don’t tell the whole story. While sensitivity checks for illness, specificity avoids falsely alarming healthy people, but we also need to consider how trustworthy those positive results are.
  2. Positive Predictive Value (PPV) is crucial because it determines how many positive test results are actually true. Even tests that seem great on paper can lead to many false alarms if the condition is rare in the tested population.
  3. New standards are needed for screening tests, especially since broad screening is becoming more common. Tests should not just catch many cases, but also provide real accuracy, avoiding unnecessary stress and procedures for patients.
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