BACKGROUND Randomized controlled trials (RCT) are limited by their generalizability to the broader nontrial population. To provide a context for Acute Study of Nesiritide in Decompensated Heart Failure (ASCEND-HF) trial, we designed a complementary registry to characterize clinical characteristics, practice patterns, and in-hospital outcomes of acute heart failure patients. METHODS AND RESULT...

OBJECTIVE To review the randomized controlled trial data regarding pharmacotherapy of irritability of autism. METHOD A LITERATURE REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED USING THE MEDLINE SEARCH TERMS: 'autism' OR 'autism spectrum disorder' with the following limits: Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), human trials, English language. Additional articles were identified from reference information. Trials involv...

Abstract Utilizing a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in traditional clusters of apparel and textile firms Vietnam, this paper investigates peer effects on firm managers’ decisions to participate seminars export promotion. We invited 131 randomly selected representatives three one-day use the number peers identify effects. further decompose into same seminar, those earlier seminars, later semi...

OBJECTIVES How a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is explained to patients is a key determinant of recruitment to that trial. This study developed and implemented a simple six-step model to fully inform patients and to support them in deciding whether to take part or not. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING Ninety-two consultations with 60 new patients were recorded and analyzed during a pilot RCT comp...

Unfortunately, the original version of this article [1] contained an error. The title was written as “Novel patient engagement and recruitment strategies for an RCY of two NHS treatments for ankle osteoarthritis total ankle replacement versus arthrodesis the TARVA trial” and should instead have been written as follows: “Novel patient engagement and recruitment strategies for an RCT of two NHS t...

BACKGROUND A randomized controlled study (RCT) recently showed that short-term heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback in addition to standard rehabilitation care for alcohol dependence can reduce craving, anxiety and improve cardiovascular autonomic function. In this one-year follow-up study we aimed to explore whether completion of 2-week HRV-Biofeedback training is associated with long-term...

We sought to measure the anxiety felt by parents at the time of entry into a randomized controlled vaccine trial, and to determine if anxiety level was associated with parental demographic variables or past experience. The children were 2-month-old infants entering a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) of a diphtheria-tetanus toxoid-acellular pertussis vaccine adsorbed with Haemophilus i...

CONTEXT The ability to identify scientific journals that publish high-quality research would help clinicians, scientists, and health-policy analysts to select the most up-to-date medical literature to review. METHODS To assess whether journal characteristics of (1) peer-review status, (2) citation rate, (3) impact factor, (4) circulation, (5) manuscript acceptance rate, (6) MEDLINE indexing, ...

CLINICAL BOTTOM LINE Water intake is a cost effective, non-invasive and low-risk intervention to reduce or prevent headache pain. RATIONALE Chronic mild dehydration may trigger headache. Increased water intake could help. A small trial shows modest benefit; however, a larger methodologically sound randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm efficacy. CRITICALLY APPRAISED PAPER Spigt, M...

BACKGROUND Interventions directed to individuals by health and social care systems should increase health and welfare of patients and customers. AIMS This paper aims to present and define a new concept Clinical Impact Research (CIR) and suggest which study design, either randomized controlled trial (RCT) (experimental) or benchmarking controlled trial (BCT) (observational) is recommendable an...