(www.improvingmedicalstatistics.com)                                          
     
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Specific guide to this web site for:


 1.  Medical School
      Educators 
      in Statistics


 2.  Medical Students

 3.  Science media writers

 4.  High School & College
     Statistic Teachers


   Misadventures:


1. Harvard led MI study

2. JACC study 

   (J. of Amer. Coll.
   Cardio.)


3. NEJM cath study

4. Amer. J. of Cardio.
    review of literature

5.
ALLHAT
    controversy
 

6.
Oat bran study

7.
Pregnancy & Alcohol

8.
Are Geminis really
   
different?
      
9. Columbia 'Miracle' Study  
                                                 

Additional Topics:

Celebrex

Limitations of Meta-Analyses

Large Randomized Clinical Trials

Tale of Two Large
Trials

Advocate meta-analyses

Network meta-analyses






 

 

 

                                                                             
"Subsequent Developments"  regarding an article in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology 

The problem of an indefensible, major statistical error which led to unwarranted conclusions in this particular study was brought to the attention of the Journal of American College of Cardiology editors.  A more formal statistical review of all studies in this journal prior to publication was suggested. Perhaps, in part for that reason, the Journal of American College of Cardiology editors subsequently published an announcement that all articles would henceforth be formally statistically reviewed as part of the Journal of American College of Cardiology prepublication process.
 
  
  The Journal of American College of Cardiology editors wanted, similar to all editors of major medical journals, to publish appropriately interpreted, statistically valid studies that reliably add to the medical literature. The editors made a significant stride in reducing such problems for subsequent papers published in their journal.

     The article critiqued in this web site was published by the Journal of American College of Cardiology. The article had a basic, elementary misuse of statistics that was so extreme that it was an embarrassment to a scientific journal.  The actual study was only 1 of over 100 articles published concerning a condition where patients have chest pain but normal arteries of the heart.  Therefore, the literature on this topic was not significantly impacted in a major negative fashion.  


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