Overview of statistical methods usage in Indian anaesthesia publications

Area of Science:

• Medical Statistics
• Anesthesiology Research
• Research Methodology

Background:

• Statistical methods are crucial for medical research but often neglected in training.
• A survey examined statistical method usage in Indian and international anaesthesia journals.
• The study aimed to compare statistical practices between Indian and a top-ranked international journal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the application of diverse statistical methods in Indian anaesthesia journals.
• To compare the statistical approaches used in Indian journals with those in a leading international journal.
• To identify gaps in the utilization of advanced statistical techniques in Indian anaesthesia research.

Main Methods:

• A literature survey analyzed 748 original articles from 2019-2020.
• Articles were sourced from the 'Indian Journal of Anaesthesia', 'Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology', and 'Anesthesia & Analgesia'.
• Statistical methods were categorized into descriptive, elementary, multivariable, advanced multivariate, and diagnostic/classification.

Main Results:

• Indian journals predominantly used mean (standard deviation) and percentages compared to the international journal.
• Indian journals showed significantly less use of correlation tests, multivariable regression, and diagnostic tests like Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.
• Complex multivariate statistical methods were virtually absent in the Indian journals analyzed.

Conclusions:

• Indian anaesthesia journals exhibit limited application of advanced statistical methods, favoring descriptive and elementary techniques.
• There is a notable bias towards randomized controlled trial designs in Indian research.
• The findings underscore an urgent need for focused training in research methodology and statistical methods for postgraduate and continuing medical education.