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Table 2 Validity of the finger tapping test for identifying infratentorial and cervical cord demyelinating lesions in four different settings based on handedness, and location of tap (i.e. thumb tip versus distal thumb crease) across different categories of providers (neurologists, neurology residents, and advanced practice providers)

From: Finger tapping impairments are highly sensitive for evaluating upper motor neuron lesions

 

Dominant hand,

Thumb tip

Dominant hand,

Distal thumb crease

Non-dominant hand,

Thumb tip

Non-dominant hand,

Distal thumb crease

Sensitivity

Specificity

Accuracy

P valuea

Sensitivity

Specificity

Accuracy

P valuea

Sensitivity

Specificity

Accuracy

P valuea

Sensitivity

Specificity

Accuracy

P valuea

Neurologist 1

69.6%

66.7%

68.6%

0.040b

87.0%

58.3%

77.1%

0.015

78.3%

75.0%

77.1%

0.004

82.6%

75.0%

80.0%

0.002

Neurologist 2

60.9%

83.3%

68.6%

0.013b

82.6%

83.3%

82.9%

<0.001

78.3%

100.0%

85.7%

<0.001b

82.6%

66.7%

77.1%

0.007

Neurologist 3

52.2%

91.7%

65.7%

0.013

87.0%

58.3%

77.1%

0.015

73.9%

100.0%

82.9%

<0.001b

91.3%

75.0%

85.7%

<0.001

All neurologists

69.6%

61.1%

66.7%

0.003b

78.3%

66.7%

74.3%

<0.001b

78.3%

86.1%

81.0%

<0.001b

84.1%

83.3%

83.8%

<0.001b

Neurology resident 1

43.5%

75.0%

54.3%

0.463

73.9%

83.3%

77.1%

0.001b

56.5%

75.0%

62.9%

0.076b

82.6%

66.7%

77.1%

0.007

Neurology resident 2

47.8%

41.7%

45.7%

0.555b

69.6%

41.7%

60.0%

0.709

47.8%

58.3%

51.4%

0.728b

65.2%

50.0%

60.0%

0.477

Neurology resident 3

43.5%

33.3%

40.0%

0.193b

73.9%

41.7%

62.9%

0.451

56.5%

58.3%

57.1%

0.404b

65.2%

33.3%

54.3%

1.000

Neurology resident 4

47.8%

58.3%

51.4%

0.728b

69.6%

25.0%

54.3%

1.000

65.2%

66.7%

65.7%

0.072b

69.6%

66.7%

68.6%

0.040b

All neurology residents

45.7%

52.1%

47.9%

0.859b

71.7%

47.9%

63.6%

0.026b

56.5%

64.6%

59.3%

0.021b

70.7%

54.2%

65.0%

0.006b

APP 1

52.2%

91.7%

65.7%

0.013

56.5%

100%

71.4%

0.001

39.1%

100%

60.0%

0.015

73.9%

91.7%

80.0%

<0.001b

APP 2

34.8%

91.7%

54.3%

0.121

69.6%

100%

80.0%

<0.001b

47.8%

91.7%

62.9%

0.027

82.6%

66.7%

77.1%

0.007

APP 3

39.1%

75.0%

51.4%

0.476

60.9%

91.7%

71.4%

0.003b

43.5%

83.3%

57.1%

0.149

60.9%

100.0%

74.3%

0.001

All APPs

42.0%

86.1%

57.1%

0.004b

62.3%

97.2%

74.3%

<0.001b

43.5%

91.7%

60.0%

<0.001b

72.5%

86.1%

77.1%

<0.001b

Overall

51.7%

65.0%

56.3%

0.003b

70.9%

68.3%

70.0%

<0.001b

59.1%

79.2%

66.0%

<0.001b

75.2%

72.5%

74.3%

<0.001b

  1. APP Advanced practice provider
  2. aTwo-sided Fisher’s exact test unless indicated otherwise
  3. bTwo-sided chi-square test