[AS Eddington: Prokrustes and the fisherman--the ambiguous meaning of the word significance in biological and medical research].
BACKGROUND
Statistical significance and biological/medical significance are not equivalent and should be distinguished from one another.


METHODS
Pertinent data gleaned from the world literature have been analyzed and appraised.


RESULTS
A semi-schematic display of the available data facilitates an overview of the relevant statistical quantities.


CONCLUSIONS
The significance level of experimental findings should be gauged in accordance with the clinical requirements.
Fankhauser
F
F
Lindenhofspital Bern.
D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016008:Statistical Distributions