Table 1 |
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|
Different ways to describe 'risk' |
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| Placebo arm (n = 1000) |
Treatment arm (n = 1000) |
Relative risk reduction |
Absolute risk reduction |
Number needed to treat |
|
|
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| 200 |
100 |
50 |
10 |
10 |
| 20 |
10 |
50 |
1 |
100 |
| 2 |
1 |
50 |
0.1 |
1000 |
|
|
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|
In this example, a treatment trial involving 2000 patients, 'relative risk reduction' remains the same while 'absolute risk reduction' and 'number needed to treat' show differences in the appreciation of risk as the success of the treatment is modelled to change. |
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Boyd and Jackson Critical Care 2005 9:390 doi:10.1186/cc3057 |
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