Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The task of a statistical referee.

G D Murray1

  • 1Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.

The British Journal of Surgery
|July 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This audit of surgical research reveals a critical flaw: overemphasis on statistical significance overshadows clinical relevance. Early statistical consultation is vital to improve study design and avoid inadequate sample sizes.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

An international, open-label, randomised trial comparing a two-step approach versus the standard three-step approach of the WHO analgesic ladder in patients with cancer.

Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2022
Same author

Elevated Baseline C-Reactive Protein as a Predictor of Outcome After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Data From the Simvastatin in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (STASH) Trial.

Neurosurgery·2015
Same author

Development and validation of an ankle brachial index risk model for the prediction of cardiovascular events.

European journal of preventive cardiology·2013
Same author

Group therapy for people with bulimia nervosa: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Psychological medicine·2013
Same author

Systematic review of head cooling in adults after traumatic brain injury and stroke.

Health technology assessment (Winchester, England)·2012
Same author

Application of Variable Life Adjusted Display (VLAD) to risk-adjusted mortality of esophagogastric cancer surgery.

World journal of surgery·2011
Same journal

Trimester-Specific Safety of Laparoscopic versus Open Abdominal Surgery During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The British journal of surgery·2026
Same journal

The Gut Microbiome in Surgical Oncology: Mechanisms, Perioperative Outcomes, and Therapeutic Opportunities.

The British journal of surgery·2026
Same journal

Patient-led, home-based follow-up for colorectal cancer: the DISTANCE multicentre stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial.

The British journal of surgery·2026
Same journal

Correction to: Reduced secretory efficiency in parathyroid carcinoma: diagnostic value of the PTH-to-tumour-volume ratio.

The British journal of surgery·2026
Same journal

Global disparities in hepatocellular carcinoma outcomes: multicentre study.

The British journal of surgery·2026
Same journal

Surgical Outcomes from Nationwide Implementation of the International Best-Practice for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (PREOPANC-4) study.

The British journal of surgery·2026
See all related articles

Area of Science:

  • Surgical research methodology
  • Biostatistics in clinical studies

Background:

  • The British Journal of Surgery is a leading publication in its field.
  • Statistical methods are crucial for interpreting research findings accurately.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To audit the statistical quality of papers published in The British Journal of Surgery.
  • To identify common deficiencies in statistical reporting and study design.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic audit of statistical standards was conducted on published papers.
  • Deficiencies were identified and categorized based on statistical significance and clinical relevance.

Main Results:

  • Significant deficiencies were found in the statistical reporting of published research.

Related Experiment Videos

  • An over-emphasis on statistical significance was noted, often neglecting clinical relevance.
  • Inadequate sample sizes were a frequent issue, compromising study validity.

    • Conclusions:

    • There is a need to re-evaluate the emphasis on statistical significance in surgical research.
    • Integrating statistical expertise early in the research process is essential for robust study design.
    • Improving statistical standards will enhance the clinical relevance and impact of published surgical studies.