Assignment Task
Questions
1. Describe the key information about the trial
State the intervention and control in the study – drug and regimen for each arm, duration, etc.
Describe the population studied – age, disease state, etc.
Describe the randomisation approach, assigning patient to treatments – the methods of randomisation, allocation sequence, etc.
Comment on the analysis of groups and if all participants accounted for its conclusion.
2. Describe two strengths of the trial
State what the strength is and describe why it is a strength (5 marks for the description of each strength)
3. Describe two weaknesses of the trial
State what the weakness is and describe why it is a weakness (5 marks for the description of each strength)
4. Explain what the result of the trial is
State the primary outcome and the numbers for the primary outcome including the confidence interval (p-value if no confidence interval reported).
Describe in words what the numbers mean.
Comment on the clinical relevance and statistical significance
5. Explain what the result of the trial means
If the trial had a successful outcome:
What does that mean for the clinical management of patients?
Which patient groups might benefit from the intervention?
How might practice in your local context need to change assuming other trials also have the same outcome?
If the trial did not have a successful outcome:
Discuss the reasons for the unsuccessful outcome; e.g. if the trial was not sufficiently powered then it is still unknown whether or not there is an effect; if trial well conducted and sufficiently then the intervention does not work.
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