{"title":"What should be done and what should be avoided when comparing two treatments?","authors":"Florie Brion Bouvier , Raphaël Porcher","doi":"10.1016/j.beha.2023.101473","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>The preferred approach to compare two treatments is a </span>randomized controlled trial (RCT). Indeed, randomization ensures that the groups compared are similar. Well-designed and well-conducted RCTs thus allow to draw causal conclusions on the relative efficacy and safety of treatments compared. However, it is not always possible to conduct RCTs for all clinical questions of interest, and observational data may also be used to infer on the relative effectiveness of treatments. In this review, we present different approaches that allow statistically valid comparisons of the effectiveness of treatments using observational data under some assumptions. Those are based on regression modelling or the propensity score. We also present the principles of target trial emulation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8744,"journal":{"name":"Best Practice & Research Clinical Haematology","volume":"36 2","pages":"Article 101473"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Best Practice & Research Clinical Haematology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1521692623000348","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"HEMATOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The preferred approach to compare two treatments is a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Indeed, randomization ensures that the groups compared are similar. Well-designed and well-conducted RCTs thus allow to draw causal conclusions on the relative efficacy and safety of treatments compared. However, it is not always possible to conduct RCTs for all clinical questions of interest, and observational data may also be used to infer on the relative effectiveness of treatments. In this review, we present different approaches that allow statistically valid comparisons of the effectiveness of treatments using observational data under some assumptions. Those are based on regression modelling or the propensity score. We also present the principles of target trial emulation.
期刊介绍:
Best Practice & Research Clinical Haematology publishes review articles integrating the results from the latest original research articles into practical, evidence-based review articles. These articles seek to address the key clinical issues of diagnosis, treatment and patient management. Each issue follows a problem-orientated approach which focuses on the key questions to be addressed, clearly defining what is known and not known, covering the spectrum of clinical and laboratory haematological practice and research. Although most reviews are invited, the Editor welcomes suggestions from potential authors.