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 case for confidence intervals in controlled clinical trials

M Borenstein1

  • 1Department of Biostatistics, Hillside Hospital, Division of Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Glen Oaks, New York.

Controlled Clinical Trials
|October 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Researchers should use confidence intervals instead of p-values to report clinical trial results. Confidence intervals provide a clearer picture of treatment effects and their clinical significance, improving study interpretation.

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

Beyond prediction intervals in meta-analysis: reporting the expected proportion of comparable studies with clinically relevant benefit or harm.

BMC medical research methodology·2025
Same author

Fetal optic chiasm: three steps for visualization and measurement on routine transabdominal ultrasound.

Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology·2018
Same author

Variables Associated with Severity of Bacterial Canker and Wilt Caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in Tomato Greenhouses.

Phytopathology·2015
Same author

Jacob Cohen, PhD, 1923-1998.

Archives of general psychiatry·2013
Same author

Nasal-bone length in euploid fetuses at 16-24 weeks' gestation by three-dimensional ultrasound.

Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology·2010
Same author

Aberrant right subclavian artery at 16 to 23 + 6 weeks of gestation: a marker for chromosomal abnormality.

Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology·2010

Area of Science:

  • Biostatistics
  • Clinical Trials
  • Medical Research Methodology

Background:

  • Traditional statistical significance testing (p-values) often fails to address clinical significance.
  • P-values indicate statistical significance but not the magnitude or precision of a treatment effect.
  • This disconnect can lead to misinterpretation of research findings in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To advocate for the use of confidence intervals in reporting clinical trial results.
  • To explain the advantages of confidence intervals over traditional hypothesis testing.
  • To guide researchers in planning studies using a confidence interval framework.

Main Methods:

  • Non-technical introduction to confidence intervals.
  • Comparison of confidence intervals with hypothesis testing (p-values).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Discussion of controversies surrounding confidence interval application.
  • Argument for planning studies with confidence intervals in mind.

    • Main Results:

    • Confidence intervals focus on the magnitude and precision of treatment effects.
    • They offer a more appropriate framework for reporting clinical trial outcomes than p-values.
    • Confidence intervals enhance the understanding of clinical impact.

    Conclusions:

    • Confidence intervals provide a superior method for reporting clinical trial results.
    • Studies should be designed with confidence intervals as a primary consideration for adequate precision.
    • Adopting confidence intervals improves the clarity and clinical relevance of research findings.