Randomized Controlled Trials Flashcards
What is a RCT?
Test whether an intervention works by comparing it to a control condition
Describe an RCT?
Population –> Study sample –> Randomized –> Intervention/control –> outcome
What is cluster randomized?
Where we take groupings of individuals and randomize them
What is a cross over RCT?
Where take start/stop treatment and give the randomized groups the opposite therapy
What is the importance of an RCT design?
The study must be designed before it is executed
Why is it important to make sure that study is designed before it begins?
Limits bias
What is important with an RCT design with respect to population?
Who we want to study and where do we get them from
What is the importance of inclusion/excuslion criteria
Helps with ensuring data points are similar
Can limite generalizability
What is the importance of sample size?
With respect to the power measurement. Where we want to have a balance of power.
If the Sample size is too low what occurs?
Underpowered and data is not as backed
What if the sample size is too high?
unnecessary exposure and more resource intensive
By increasing the sample size what are we decreasing?
Chance
With respect to the intervention what is an important point in all RCT studies?
It needs to be specific very specific
What is important with respect to the treatment of controls/comparison groups?
Must be treated exactly the same way as the intervention group- the only different that can be present is the intervention
What are the differences between hard endpoints vs surrogate endpoints
Hard endpoints a definitive things that occur such as death, MI, stroke
Where surrogate endpoints are like blood pressure where it can lead to it
