Interpretation von Therapiestudien in der Neurologie

Zusammenfassung

Für weite Bereiche der Neurologie gibt es in der Zwischenzeit eine Vielzahl von kontrollierten klinischen Studien zur Wertigkeit diagnostischer Maßnahmen und zur Therapie. Ein kurzer Blick in Presseverlautbarungen pharmazeutischer Konzerne und in eine kritische Zeitschrift wie das Arzneimittel-Telegramm zeigt schon häufig auf, wie unterschiedlich klinische Studien interpretiert werden. Im Folgenden sollten daher einige wichtige Kriterien bei der Interpretation klinischer Studien dargestellt werden, die dem Leser erleichtern sollen, selbst seine Schlussfolgerungen aus den Studien zu ziehen und zu entscheiden, wie er Studienergebnisse in die tägliche Praxis bei der Therapie seiner Patienten umsetzt. Dieser Artikel stützt sich zum Teil auf eine Serie von fünf Artikeln, die in der Zeitschrift Lancet im Jahr 2005 erschienen sind [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].

Abstract

Numerous studies have investigated the usefulness and efficacy of diagnostic methods and therapies for a number of neurological diseases. Pharmaceutical press releases and critical journals however employ quite a different approach to the interpretation of these studies. This article therefore features some important criteria for the interpretation of clinical studies which will enable the reader to draw his own conclusions from the study results and decide about implications for his daily routine. The recommendations are based on a series of five articles which were published in the Lancet in 2005 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].

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