Cited by 1,885Statistical Methods in Clinical TrialsMeta-analysis and systematic reviewsStatistical Methods in Epidemiology

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The number needed to treat: a clinically useful measure of treatment effect

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Cook, Richard J, Sackett, David L·1995·BMJ

DOI 10.1136/bmj.310.6977.452PMC PMC2548824

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Abstract

The relative benefit of an active treatment over a control is usually expressed as the relative risk, the relative risk reduction, or the odds ratio. These measures are used extensively in both clinical and epidemiological investigations. For clinical decision making, however, it is more meaningful to use the measure "number needed to treat." This measure is calculated on the inverse of the absolute risk reduction. It has the advantage that it conveys both statistical and clinical significance to the doctor. Furthermore, it can be used to extrapolate published findings to a patient at an arbitrary specified baseline risk when the relative risk reduction associated with treatment is constant for all levels of risk.

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Authors: Cook, R. J., & Sackett, D. L.
Affiliations: University of Waterloo (CA)
John Radcliffe Hospital (GB)
ORCID: Cook, Richard J
Venue: BMJ
Publisher: BMJ
Published: 1995-02-18
Volume: 310
Issue: 6977
Pages: 452-454
ISSN: 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
0959-8138
1468-5833
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.310.6977.452
PMC: PMC2548824
OpenAlex: W2111149452
Cited by: 1,885
References: 24
Citations by year: 2026: 27 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 48 · 2018: 44 · 2017: 59 · 2016: 62 · 2015: 59 · 2014: 60 · 2013: 82 · 2012: 76
FWCI: 52.22
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Licence: www.bmj.com/company/legal-information/terms-conditions/legal-information/tdm-licencepolicy (tdm)
Locations: BMJ (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials
Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
Keywords: number needed to treat, absolute risk reduction, relative risk reduction, relative risk, odds ratio, treatment effect measurement, clinical decision-making, risk-benefit assessment
MeSH terms: Cerebrovascular Disorders, Humans, Hypertension, Statistics as Topic, Odds Ratio, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Treatment Outcome, Risk Assessment

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The number needed to treat: a clinically useful measure of treatment effect

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