BMJ 1999;319:1070 ( 16 October )

Letters

Influence of data display formats on decisions to stop clinical trials

    Paper is misleading, like a sheep dressed in a wolf's clothing
    Authors' reply

Paper is misleading, like a sheep dressed in a wolf's clothing

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---The abstract of Elting et al's paper gave the impression that icon displays resulted in significantly more correct decisions than did tables (P=0.03).1 In fact, the P value of 0.03 applies only to the comparison between icon displays and bar graphs or pie charts. The P value for the comparison between icon displays and tables is not significant (P=0.17 (p 1529)).

The study showed no significant difference between icon displays and tables for time to make the decision (P=0.81) or for the quality of the decision. In view of this, the abstract and discussion are deceptive.

James M Walker, senior clinical information architect. 
Penn State College of Medicine, PO Box 850 (H-136), Herhey, PA 17033, USA jmwalker@psghs.edu


1. Elting LS, Martin CG, Cantor SB, Rubenstein EB. Influence of data display formats on physician investigators' decisions to stop clinical trials: prospective trial with repeated measures. BMJ 1999; 318: 1527-1531[Abstract/Free Full Text]. (5 June.)

Authors' reply

EDITOR---The statement in the abstract regarding the superiority of the icon display is correct, as is the P value ascribed to the comparison. This reflects the overall comparison among the four displays, using Cochran's Q test of the repeated measures of correct decisions. This is reported in the abstract and the . . . [Full text of this article]
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