Interpretation of CIs in clinical trials with non-significant results: systematic review and recommendations.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Interpretation of CIs in randomised clinical trials (RCTs) with treatment effects that are not statistically significant can distinguish between results that are 'negative' (the data are not consistent with a clinically meaningful treatment effect) or 'inconclusive' (the data remain consistent with the possibility of a clinically meaningful treatment effect). This interpretation is important to ensure that potentially beneficial treatments are not prematurely abandoned in future research or clinical practice based on invalid conclusions.

Design

Systematic review of RCT reports published in 2014 in Annals of Internal Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, JAMA Internal Medicine and The Lancet (n=247).

Results

85 o

SUBMITTER: Gewandter JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5726092 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature