Are likelihood ratios for the test results presented or data necessary for their calculation provided?
The authors present most of their findings as correlation coefficients. They found that capillary refill time and core-peripheral temperature gap were related (r = 0.58). However, in the post-cardiac surgery patients there was no relationship between capillary refill time or core-peripheral temperature gap and any of the measured hemodynamic variables or blood lactate. In the “general” group of patients prolonged capillary refill time (> 2 seconds) was associated with a reduction in stroke volume index (SVI) (r = -0.46) and blood lactate (r = 0.47). There was no correlation between core-peripheral temperature gap and the measured hemodynamic variables that met statistical significance. A positive and strong correlation between capillary refill time and core-peripheral temperature gap should be expected as these are related values. It would be surprising to find no correlation. However, correlation is not a good measurement for prediction. Regression analysis is needed if one is trying
