BREAKING NEWS: A well-designed study by a respectable research group has yielded preliminary results indicating that a common, inexpensive steroid reduced deaths among very ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
Nerdy Girl initial reactions:
(1) THE STUDY IS WELL-DESIGNED
Using the 3 Cs Framework: COMPARISON, CHANCE, and CONTEXT
a) There is a randomly assigned COMPARISON group
b) The role of CHANCE is likely minimized through the use of a large sample size
c) The study CONTEXT is a real-world, hospital setting, and may generalize well to other settings
(2) THE FINDINGS ARE HOPEFUL
The reduction in deaths is both clinically and statistically significant.
(3) THE WELL-RESPECTED STUDY GROUP HAS CONFIDENCE IN THE FINDINGS
The study group halted enrollment in the trial due to their assessment that data are now sufficient to get “a clear result.”
!! BUT WE MUST STAY CAUTIOUS !!
(1) These are results from a press release (!), NOT a well-vetted, peer-reviewed study
(2) These results are released against a fluid backdrop — keep in mind that there’s been an amplified # of retracted studies and a slew of quickly changing science around COVID
(3) These data can’t speak conclusively to side effects, especially those that may be long-term and/or rare. Side effect detection takes continued monitoring in large populations.
Stay hopeful, stay cautious. We’ll keep you updated as more evidence emerges.
