Assessing variability and uncertainty in orthopedic randomized controlled trials.

ABSTRACT: Background and purpose - Low statistical power remains endemic in clinical medicine including orthopedics and manifests as high uncertainty and wide confidence intervals (CI). We evaluated the reporting and correspondence between power calculation and observed data on key parameters of variability and uncertainty in orthopedic randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Material and methods - RCTs with 1:1 allocation published in 8 major orthopedic journals between 2016 and 2017 with one continuous primary outcome were included in the review. The components of power calculation and observed standard deviation (SD), mean difference (MD), and confidence interval (CI) of MD between groups were assessed for primary outcome.Results - 160 RCTs were included, of which 93 (58%) and 138 (86%) studies repor

SUBMITTER: Raittio L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8023899 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature