title: Statistical considerations concerning clinical studies designed to assess DC-ARTs.
abstract: The aim of this paper is to contribute to the current ongoing debate regarding how to optimise clinical research on rheumatoid arthritis. Bearing in mind the main difficulties represented by the particular characteristics of the disease and its treatment, as well as the limitations of some of the trials that have been carried out over the last thirty years, we discuss how some of the general statistical considerations regarding all clinical trials should be applied to those specifically designed to assess disease-controlling antirheumatic therapies.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Novartis Farma, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Della Casa-Alberighi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marubini
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents