When does combining markers improve classification performance and what are implications for practice?

ABSTRACT: When an existing standard marker does not have sufficient classification accuracy on its own, new markers are sought with the goal of yielding a combination with better performance. The primary criterion for selecting new markers is that they have good performance on their own and preferably be uncorrelated with the standard. Most often linear combinations are considered. In this paper, we investigate the increment in performance that is possible by combining a novel continuous marker with a moderately performing standard continuous marker under a variety of biologically motivated models for their joint distribution. We find that an uncorrelated continuous marker with moderate performance on its own usually yields only minimally improved performance. We identify other settings that lead to

SUBMITTER: Bansal A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3893148 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature