Revisiting the relationship between baseline risk and risk under treatment
2009

Revisiting the Relationship Between Baseline Risk and Risk Under Treatment

publication

Author Information

Author(s): Wang Hao, Boissel Jean-Pierre, Nony Patrice

Hypothesis

The relationship between baseline risk and risk under treatment is curvilinear, suggesting that moderate-risk patients gain the most from treatment.

Conclusion

The study proposes a non-linear model indicating that moderate-risk patients benefit more from treatment compared to those at low or high risk.

Supporting Evidence

  • The proposed model integrates both beneficial and harmful effects of treatment.
  • Moderate-risk patients are suggested to gain the most from treatment, contrary to low or high-risk patients.
  • The study highlights the need for appropriate data to understand treatment effects in high-risk patients.

Takeaway

This study suggests that patients with moderate risk get the most help from treatments, while those with very low or very high risk may not benefit as much.

Methodology

The study proposes a phenomenological model based on logistic and sigmoidal Emax models and suggests two approaches for testing the hypothesis: a meta-analysis of clinical trials and a large clinical trial with diverse risk groups.

Limitations

The results are strongly dependent on the underlying models considered, and the validity of linear extrapolation for high-risk patients remains uncertain.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1742-7622-6-1

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