This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS
Propensity scores and the surgeon. BJS 2006; 93: 389-394.
Published: 9th January 2006
Authors: M. Adamina, U. Guller, W. P. Weber, D. Oertli
Background
Evidence‐based surgery has been established as a cornerstone of good clinical practice, promising to improve the treatment of patients and the quality of surgical education. However, evidence‐based surgery requires dedicated clinicians trained to perform methodologically sound clinical investigations. Statistical knowledge is therefore invaluable. Surgical studies often cannot be randomized. Propensity scores offer a powerful alternative to multivariable analysis in the assessment of observational, non‐randomized surgical studies. Unfortunately, many surgeons are unaware of this important analytical approach that has gained increasing stature in medical research. Thus, propensity score analyses are not used often in surgical studies.