A Physician Is Conducting a Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial to Determine

question 18

Multiple Choice

A physician is conducting a double-blind randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of a new cream in reducing the risk of relapse in chronic recurrent atopic dermatitis.  A total of 30 patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis who were experiencing a flare are randomly divided into 2 groups: 15 patients will receive the new cream, and 15 patients will receive emollient alone.  The rate of relapse after 2 weeks of treatment is 25% in the group who received the new cream and 50% in the group who received emollient alone.  However, the difference is found to be not statistically significant (p = 0.14) .  The physician concludes that use of the new cream does not reduce the risk of relapse in chronic recurrent atopic dermatitis.  Which of the following is most likely to explain the results of the study?

• A)Ascertainment bias
• B)Confounding bias
• C)Ecologic fallacy
• D)Insufficient statistical power
• E)Recall bias

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Definitions:

Fixed Overhead

Regular, unchanging costs that a business incurs, regardless of the level of production or sales activity, such as rent and salaries.

Direct Labor

The work of employees that can be directly attributed to the production of goods or services.

Fixed Overhead

Regular, fixed expenses associated with the operations of a business that do not vary with production volume.

Raw Material

Basic materials used in the production process of goods, often processed in intermediate steps before fabrication of the final product.