Comment
www.
thelancet.
com Published online April 16, 2009 DOI:10.
1016/S0140-6736(09)60499-2 1
Translating statistical findings into plain English
Clinical trial reports usually give estimates of treatment
effects, their confidence intervals, and p values....
More
Comment
www.
thelancet.
com Published online April 16, 2009 DOI:10.
1016/S0140-6736(09)60499-2 1
Translating statistical findings into plain English
Clinical trial reports usually give estimates of treatment
effects, their confidence intervals, and p values.
The
statistical methods and their technical meaning are
well established.
There is less clarity about the concise
interpretative wording that authors should use,
especially in the abstract and conclusions and by others
in commentaries.
The following guidance assumes that
one short sentence needs to capture the essence of a
trial’s findings for the primary endpoint.
Various scenarios can arise (figure).
Scenario A has
the treatment effect very highly statistically significant
(p<0·001); in, for example, the comparison of
everolimus with placebo for progression-free survival
in advanced renal-cell carcinoma.
1
Such strong evidence
provides proof of treatment efficacy beyond reasonable
doubt, justifying the statement “everolimus prolongs
Less