Comparative Studies in the Shoulder Literature Lack Statistical Robustness: A Fragility Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Evidenced-based decision-making is rooted in comparative clinical studies; however, a small number of outcome event reversals have the potential to change study significance. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of applying fragility analysis to comparative studies in the published orthopaedic shoulder literature.

Methods

Comparative clinical shoulder research studies reporting 1:1 dichotomous categorical data were analyzed in 6 leading orthopaedic journals between 2006 and 2016. Statistical significance was defined as a P value of less than .05. The fragility index (FI) for each study outcome was determined by the number of event reversals required to change the P value to either greater or less than 0.05, thus changing the study conc

SUBMITTER: Parisien RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8689245 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature