Recursive partitioning

Recursive partitioning is a statistical method for the multivariable analysis of medical diagnostic tests. . Recursive partitioning creates a decision tree that strives to correctly classify members of the population based on a dichotomous dependent variable. As compared to regression analyses that creates a formulate that health care providers can use to calculate the probability that a patient has a disease, recursive partition creates a rule such as 'If a patient has finding x, y, or z they probably have disease q.

A variation is 'Cox linear recursive partitioning'.

Advantages and disadvantages
Compared to other multivariable methods, recursive partitioning has advantages and disadvantages.
 * Advantages are:
 * Generates clinically more intuitive models that do not require the user to perform calculations.
 * Allows varying prioritizing of missclassifications in order to create a decision rule hat has more sensitivity or specificity.
 * May be more accurate.
 * Disadvantages are:
 * Does not work well for continuous variables
 * May overfit data.

Examples
Examples are available of using recursive partitioning in research of diagnostic tests. Goldman used recursive partitioning to prioritize sensitivity in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction among patients with chest pain in the emergency room.