MIRO study: Do the results of a randomized controlled trial apply in a real population?

Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the external validity of the MIRO randomized controlled trial findings in a similar nationwide setting "real life" population, especially the benefit of a hybrid approach in esophageal resection for pulmonary complication. The external validity of randomized controlled trial findings to the general population with the same condition remains problematic because of the inherent selection bias and rigid inclusion criteria.

Methods: This study was a cohort study from a National Health Database (Programme de Medicalisation des Systemes d'Informations) between 2010 and 2022.