title: Objective and perspective determine the choice of composite endpoint.
abstract: The most important consideration in the choice of study design and endpoint is that these two features match and represent the objective and the perspective of the trial as closely as possible. The mechanism may also be helpful, but arguments based on the mechanism, structure or levels of the variables, or based on practical considerations, such as (statistical) efficiency, must always be secondary considerations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 133, PO Box 9101, Geert Grooteplein 21, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. g.borm@epib.umcn.nl
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Borm
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teerenstra
authors.forename: Gerhard A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Zielhuis
mesh_terms: D002755:Choice Behavior; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design; D013223:Statistics as Topic