A recent post on the EXTEND Trial stimulated a passionate debate regarding the use of adjusted analysis in RCTs. A number of of those partaking in this discussion argued feverishly for the use of adjusted analysis in RCTs, and made very strong arguments in favor of such methods. I argued that while adjusted analyses […]
CC Nerd-The Case of the Unknown Quantity
Lung-protective ventilation is often considered a simple truth when managing critical care patients on mechanical ventilation. Despite this sense of certainty, the knowledge of exactly how and when to perform such ventilatory strategies is incomplete. The recently published PReVENT adds yet more uncertainty to the true efficacy of low tidal volume ventilation in patients without […]
CC Nerd-The Case of the Subjective Truth
A recent post examining the utility of cricoid pressure and how to interpret non-inferiority trials stimulated discussion on Bayesian analysis and the question of whether a formal quantitative analysis is necessary or if an informal qualitative assessment is adequate. A recent reanalysis of the EOLIA trial published in JAMA by Goligher et al1 allows us to […]
CC Nerd-The Case of the Inverted Premise
No mode of ventilation is burdened with more emotional baggage than airway pressure release ventilation (APRV). The mere suggestion of its use is met with either the delight of recognizing an old friend whom you are meeting for the first time, or the type of disgust typically reserved for the likes of snake oil salesmen. […]
The Case of an Ugly Truth
The great tragedy of Science — the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact. […]