Abstract
The need for any doctor to comprehend, assimilate, analyse and form an opinion on data cannot be underestimated. This chapter examines the presentation and handling of such data and it’s subsequent statistical analysis. It covers the organisation and description of data, measures of central tendency such as mean, median and mode, measures of dispersion (standard deviation) and the problems of missing data. Theoretical distributions, such as the Gaussian distribution, are examined and the possibility of data transformation discussed.
Inferential statistics are used as a means of comparing groups the rationale and use of parametric and non-parametric tests and confidence intervals is outlined. The analysis of categorical variables using the chi-squared test and assessing the value of diagnostic tests using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and a likelihood ratio is discussed.
Measures of association are covered, namely linear regression, as is time to event analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method. Finally, the chapter discusses the statistical analysis used when comparing clinical measurements – Bland and Altman method.
Illustrative examples, relevant to the practice of anaesthesia are used throughout and it is hoped that this will provide the reader with an outline of the methodologies employed and encourage further reading where necessary.
Inferential statistics are used as a means of comparing groups the rationale and use of parametric and non-parametric tests and confidence intervals is outlined. The analysis of categorical variables using the chi-squared test and assessing the value of diagnostic tests using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and a likelihood ratio is discussed.
Measures of association are covered, namely linear regression, as is time to event analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method. Finally, the chapter discusses the statistical analysis used when comparing clinical measurements – Bland and Altman method.
Illustrative examples, relevant to the practice of anaesthesia are used throughout and it is hoped that this will provide the reader with an outline of the methodologies employed and encourage further reading where necessary.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Oxford Textbook of Anaesthesia |
| Editors | Jonathan Hardman, Phillip Hopkins, Michel Struys |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Chapter | 28 |
| Pages | 491-502 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Volume | 1 |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780199642045 |
| Publication status | Published - 27 Apr 2017 |