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.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beha.2023.101473 | DOI Listing |
S Afr J Surg
December 2024
Department of Surgical Sciences, Nelson R Mandela School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Background: KwaZulu-Natal bears a significant trauma burden, with polytrauma patients often experiencing traumatic limb amputations. This study investigates traumatic limb amputations in the subgroup of severely injured polytrauma patients admitted to the trauma ICU in KwaZulu-Natal. This study aims to describe the management and outcomes of traumatic limb amputations in polytrauma patients at the trauma ICU.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
December 2024
Neurology, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Hamamatsu, JPN.
Introduction Whole-body computed tomography angiography (CTA) may be useful during cerebral angiography and endovascular treatment (EVT), and identification of thrombi and malignant trunk tumors may be helpful in stroke typing and acute stroke care. Therefore, we aimed to assess the types and prevalence of incidental findings on whole-body CTA in this patient population. Methods This single-center, retrospective, observational study included consecutive patients with suspected acute stroke who underwent whole-body CTA in addition to brain CTA between April 2020 and August 2023.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIndian J Urol
January 2025
Department of Urology, Indiana University, IN, United States.
Front Med (Lausanne)
January 2025
The Biomedical Research Institute of Malaga and Platform in Nanomedicine (IBIMA BIONAND Platform), Málaga, Spain.
Background: Difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2T RA) refers to a subset of patients who fail to achieve adequate disease control after the use of two or more biological or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) with different mechanisms of action, while maintaining active inflammatory disease. This presents a therapeutic challenge and highlights the need to explore contributing factors such as the potential role of the gut microbiota. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the gut microbiota and inflammation in patients with D2T RA in comparison to patients with easy-to-treat RA (E2T RA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMediterr J Rheumatol
December 2024
"Metropolitan" General Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.
Objectives: The aim of the present analysis was to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) patients from Greece who were enrolled in the global PROOF study, and their longitudinal follow-up over 5 years to determine the impact of the disease on quality of life and patient-reported outcomes.
Methods: PROOF was an observational study that enrolled recently diagnosed (<1 year) patients fulfilling the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society classification criteria from rheumatology clinical practices from 29 countries across 6 different geographical regions.
Results: Of the 100 Greek patients enrolled, 85 were classified based on local (investigator) evaluation of sacroiliac radiographs [AS: 56 (65.
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