title: [Treatment by drawing lots in a therapeutic trial with a balance distribution of prognostic factors: the minimization method].
abstract: In a controlled clinical trial, a more powerful design can be obtained by balancing the treatment groups for the main prognostic factors rather than ignoring these factors in the randomization. The method of random permuted blocks within strata becomes inadequate as the number of prognostic factors increases. Another method known as minimization is described, which balances the marginal distribution of prognostic factors; it was proposed by Taves, and generalized by Pocock and Simon. It avoids the problems arising from an imbalance in a major prognostic factor.
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D011897:Random Allocation; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
vernacular_title: Tirage au sort du traitement dans un essai thérapeutique avec distribution équilibrée de facteurs pronostiques: méthode de minimisation.