(Im)precise trial descriptions. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sessler, Daniel I.
• Is Part Of: British journal of anaesthesia. Volume 127:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: 824
• Page End: 825
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: controlled trial -- pilot study -- pragmatic study -- real-world study -- title; Anesthesiology -- Periodicals; Anesthesia -- Periodicals; 617.9605
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2021.09.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-0912

Abstract

Summary: Terms such as prospective, interventional, and controlled are redundant in the context of randomised trials, and are therefore distracting. Pragmatic should probably be reserved for trials that intentionally control little except the exposure. The term pilot should be reserved for trials that were designated to a priori and registered as pilot trials, and have appropriate pilot outcomes. 'Pragmatic' and 'real-world' should not be inserted to excuse poor trial design; and similarly, 'pilot' should not be appended to excuse inadequate power.