3 ms·
I was simply suggesting what we all learn in medical school and residency: to appropriately evaluate clinical studies. Just don't think most doctors do. Let m
by undergroundOps 10y ago
I was simply suggesting what we all learn in medical school and residency: to appropriately evaluate clinical studies. Just don't think most doctors do.
Let me give you an example of how I approach things. The guidelines for acute pancreatitis recommend using a fluid called LR instead of NS for volume resuscitation. This is based on an single study that included 10 patients and simply noted slightly better lab numbers; there was no difference in clinical outcome. Lots of problems with that study, right (small, underpowered, confounders, validity issues, etc)? However, there's no major disadvantage for using LR in those patients (unless hyperkalemia is a concern), so I use it since it might have a benefit.
This is a very simple example. It gets much more complicated than that.
"Probably" is one of favorite words in medicine, btw :).
- mablap 10y ago"Probably" is one of favorite words in medicine, btw :). Right as it should. If somebody answers my question by "It depends", then I know I'm in good company!
- triangleman 10y agoAnd the root of the word "probably" is latin probare meaning "to test". As in, you have to have some empirical basis for your belief in the likelihood of something.