Question

Examine Table 3 (patients hospitalized during the study, according to study group and reason for hospitalization) and write an interpretation of the results related to hospitalization from respiratory infections. Please include an interpretation of the absolute difference as well as the risk ratio, noting whether or not they are statistically significant

TABLE 3. PATIENTs HOSPITALIZED DURING THE STUDY, AcCORDING TO STuDY GROuP AND REASON FOR HoSPITALIZATION DIGOXIN N-3397) PLACEBO 3403) ABSOLUTE DIFFERENCEt RISK RATIO (95% CI) REASON FOR H osPITALIZATION (N P VALUE no. of patients (%) 1694 (49.9)1850 (54.4) 910 (26.8) 1180 (34.7) -4.5 -7.9 0.87 (0.81-0.93) <0.001 0.72 (0.66-0.79) Worsening heart failure Ventricular arrhythmia, cardiac arrest Supraventricular arrhythmiaS <0.001 142 (4.2) 133 (3.9) 14 (0.4) 67 (2.0) 195 (5.7) 145 (4.3) 152 (4.5) 9 (0.3) 31 (0.9) 201 (5.9) 0.1 0.98 (0.78-1.24) -0.6 0.87 (0.69-1.10) 0.1 1.56 (0.68-3.61) Atrioventricular block, bradyarrhythmia Suspected digoxin toxicity Myocardial infarction Unstable angina Stroke Coronary revascularization Cardiac transplantation Other cardiovascular 1.l 2.17 (1.42-3.32) <0.001 0.2 0.97 (0.79-1.18) 399 (11.7) 398(11.7)0 1.01 (0.87-1.16) -0.2 0.95 (0.77-1.19) 0.4 1.17 (0.85-1.61) 0.3 1.57 (0.84-2.94) 2.1 1.20 (1.05-1.38) -0.4 0.94 (0.79-1.12) 14 1.06 (0.98-1.15) 0. 1.11 (0.59-2.10) 157 (4.6) 83 (2.4) 25 (0.7) 164 (4.8) 71 (2.1) 16 (0.5) 452 (13.3 381 (11.2) 1126 (33.1) 1079 (31.7) 2184 (64.3) 2282 (67.1) 238 (7.0) 252 (7.4) Other noncardiac and nonvascular Unspecified No. of patients hospitalized No. of hospitalizations 20 (0.6) 18 (0.5) -2.8 0.92 (0.87-0.98) 0.006 6356 6777 Data shown include the first hospitalization of each patient for each reason. tAbsolute differences were calculated by subtracting the percentage of patients hospitalized in the placebo group from the percentage of patients hospitalized in the digoxin group (before values were rounded). #Risk ratios and confidence intervals (CI) were estimated from a Cox proportional-hazards model that used the first hospitalization of each patient for each reason. SThis category includes atrioventricular block and bradyarrhythmia. TThis category includes coronary-artery bypass grafting and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty This category includes embolism, venous thrombosis, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, other vascular surgery cardiac catheterization, other types of catheterization, pacemaker implantation, installation of automatic implantable car diac defibrillator, electrophysiologic testing, transplant-related evaluation, nonspecific chest pain, atherosclerotic heart dis- ease, hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, and valve operation.

Answer 1

1.There is a highly significance difference between Digoxin and placebo with respect to cardiovascular reason with absolute difference - 4.5% and risk ratio 0.87, there is 95% chances that risk ratio lies between 0.81 and 0.93. (since p value less than 0.01)

2. the second reason from the above table worsening heart failure is also highly significant difference between Digoxin and placebo with absolute difference - 7.9% and risk ratio 0.72 which is lies between 0.66 and 0.79 with 95% confidence interval.(since p value less than 0.01).

3.Suspected digoxin toxicity is also highly significant as its p value lies below 0.01 with absolute difference 1.1 and the risk ratio 2.17 with 95% confidence interval 1.42 and 3.32.

the remaining other reasons for hospitalization are shows not significant with respect to placebo and digoxin. since for these factors has p value is more than desired range. In general p value less than either  0.01, 0.05 or o.10 (few cases) consider to be significant.