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Table 3 Largest effect size considered plausible by clinicians and the corresponding sample size to detect this effect

From: Effect sizes in ongoing randomized controlled critical care trials

Trial name

Effect size (%)

Sample size

 

Median largest absolute mortality reduction considered plausible (IQR, range)

Absolute mortality reduction postulated by trialists

Size required to detect median largest effect size considered plausible

Actual

A Confirmatory Phase II/III Study Assessing Efficacy, Immunogenicity and Safety of IC43 Recombinant Pseudomonas Vaccine in Intensive Care Patients

5 (2–6, 0–23))

10

3186

800

ADjunctive coRticosteroid trEatment iN criticAlly ilL Patients with Septic Shock

5 (3–10, 0–33)

5

3556

3800

Early Spontaneous Breathing in ARDS

5 (2–10, 0–35)

10

2748

700

Non-sedation versus Sedation with a Daily Wake-up Trial in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation

5 (3–15, 0–39)

10

2904

700

Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis in the Intensive Care Unit

3 (1–5, 0–25)

5

8388

3350

The Augmented versus Routine Approach to Giving Energy Trial

3 (1–5, 0–25)

3.95

6266

4000

The SuDDICU Cluster RCT of Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Critical Illness

5 (3–9, 0–24)

3.5

Not calculateda

24,000

Ticagrelor in Severe CAP

3 (1–5, 0–33)

11

7522

568

Tranexamic acid for the treatment of gastrointestinal haemorrhage: an international randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

3 (2–5, 0–10)

2.5

3624

8000

Tranexamic acid for the treatment of significant traumatic brain injury: an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

4 (2–5, 0–10)

3

3868

10,000

  1. Abbreviations: APRV Airway pressure release ventilation, ARDS Acute respiratory distress syndrome, ARR Absolute risk reduction, CAP Community-acquired pneumonia, GI Gastrointestinal, ICU Intensive care unit, IQR Interquartile range, SDD Selective digestive decontamination, RRT Renal replacement therapy
  2. aData required to perform the modified sample size calculation for this cluster trial could not be derived from the survey response data