Clinical Trials Dictionary

A thoroughly updated new edition of the essential reference
on the design, practice, and analysis of clinical
trials

Clinical Trials Dictionary: Terminology and Usage
Recommendations, Second Edition presents clear, precise,
meticulously detailed entries on all aspects of modern-day clinical
trials. Written and compiled by one of the world's leading
clinical trialists, this comprehensive volume incorporates areas of
medicine, statistics, epidemiology, computer science, and
bioethics--providing a treasure trove of key terms and
ideas.

This new edition continues to supply readers with the A-Z
terminology needed to design, conduct, and analyze trials,
introducing a vocabulary for the characterization and description
of related features and activities. More than 300 new entries are
now included, reflecting the current usage practices and
conventions in the field, along with usage notes with
recommendations on when to use the term in question. Detailed
biographical notes highlight prominent historical figures and
institutions in the field, and an extensive bibliography has been
updated to provide readers with additional resources for further
study.

The most up-to-date work of its kind, Clinical Trials
Dictionary, Second Edition is an essential reference for anyone
who needs to report on, index, analyze, or assess the scientific
strength and validity of clinical trials.

Auteur

CURTIS L. MEINERT, PhD, is Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he served as founder of the Johns Hopkins Center for Clinical Trials. He is a Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Heart Association, and the Society for Clinical Trials. Dr. Meinert has focused his research on the methodological issues in clinical trials, including their design, conduct, policy, and practice. He is the author of Clinical Trials Handbook: Design and Conduct (Wiley).

Résumé

A thoroughly updated new edition of the essential reference on the design, practice, and analysis of clinical trials

Clinical Trials Dictionary: Terminology and Usage Recommendations, Second Edition presents clear, precise, meticulously detailed entries on all aspects of modern-day clinical trials. Written and compiled by one of the world's leading clinical trialists, this comprehensive volume incorporates areas of medicine, statistics, epidemiology, computer science, and bioethicsproviding a treasure trove of key terms and ideas.

This new edition continues to supply readers with the AZ terminology needed to design, conduct, and analyze trials, introducing a vocabulary for the characterization and description of related features and activities. More than 300 new entries are now included, reflecting the current usage practices and conventions in the field, along with usage notes with recommendations on when to use the term in question. Detailed biographical notes highlight prominent historical figures and institutions in the field, and an extensive bibliography has been updated to provide readers with additional resources for further study.

The most up-to-date work of its kind, Clinical Trials Dictionary, Second Edition is an essential reference for anyone who needs to report on, index, analyze, or assess the scientific strength and validity of clinical trials.

Contenu

FOREWORD 1ST EDITION ix

PREFACE xi

CONTRIBUTORS xiii

EXPLANATORY NOTES xv

Domain of coverage xv

Order and place of entries xv

Synonyms, antonyms, and related terms xv

Language and usage conventions xv

Sources and references xvi

Adages xvi

Usage notes xvi

Etymologies xvi

Abbreviations xvii

Index xvii

USAGE PRACTICES, CAUTIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS xix

Recommended and preferred usages xx

Comparative and relative terms xxii

Redundancies, repetitions, and unnecessary words xxiii

Not saying what we mean xxv

Humanizing the inanimate xxv

Pre-, post-, non-, and un- words xxvi

Small troublesome words xxvi

The language of praise, implied value judgment, and presumption
xxvii

Euphemisms xxix

Currency words xxix

The language of criticism xxx

The language of exception xxxi

The language of intimidation, implication, and position xxxii

The language of division xxxiii

Usurpative language xxxiii

The language of positivity and negativity xxxiv

Pronouns xxxvii

The language of equivocation and weaseling xxxvii

Vacuous language and claims xxxviii

Jargon xxxviii

Truth by declaration and repetition xxxix

ABBREVIATIONS xli

LISTING OF ENTRIES xlvii

Dictionary

A 1

B 15

C 27

D 63

E 79

F 93

G 107

H 113

I 119

J and K 137

L 141

M 151

N 165

O 175

P 185

Q 217

R 221

S 241

T 273

U 291

V 297

W 301

X, Y, and Z 305

REFERENCES 307

INDEX 317

EQUATIONS AND FUNCTIONS

Bayes' theorem 18

Binomial distribution 22

Binomial theorem 22

Bivariate normal distribution 23

Exponential distribution 90

F-test statistic 93

Gamma distribution 107

Gamma function 107

Geometric distribution 108

Gompertz's curve 108

Greco-Latin square 110

Hypergeometric distribution 117

Inverse sine transformation 133

Kappa statistic 138

Kendall's tau 139

Latin square 141

Normal distribution 172

Poisson distribution 199

Square root transformation 256

t distribution 273

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1. Bar Diagram 16

Figure 2. Bell-Shaped Curve 18

Figure 3. Bimodal Distribution 21

Figure 4. Box Plot 25

Figure 5. Chi-square Distribution 31

Figure 6. Circle Graph 32

Figure 7. Closed Sequential Design 37

Figure 8. CONSORT Chart 52

Figure 9. Cumulative Frequency Distribution 60

Figure 10. Exponential Distribution 90

Figure 11. F Distribution 93

Figure 12. Flowchart 99

Figure 13. Forest Plot 101

Figure 14. Frequency Polygon 103

Figure 15. Gantt Chart 107

Figure 16. Histogram 116

Figure 17. Isometric Graph 136

Figure 18. J-shaped Curve 137

Figure 19. Left Skew Distribution 143

Figure 20. Logistic Curve 147

Figure 21. Normal Distribution 172

Figure 22. Open Sequential Design 180

Figure 23. Poisson Distribution 199

Figure 24. Right Skew Distribution 239

Figure 25. s-shaped Curve 241

Figure 26. Scatter Diagram 243

Figure 27. Survival Curve 270

Figure 28. t Distribution 273

Figure 29. Uniform Distribution 294

Figure 30. Venn Diagram 299