A model from Roth & Erev (1995), which was taken as a representative of models that assumed trial and error learning, was used.Using the model designed for this study, we conducted two case studies.
A high R value is a reasonable requirement as we assumed trial number and group to be the principal predictors of mean score.
There is virtually no bias in estimates of the mean time (the difference between the mean over all simulations of the mean times and the population mean of 10) assuming trials of 100 and 500 patients.
We assumed that trials with clearly concealed allocation, explicit blinding of patients, and a dropout rate below 15% had lower risk of bias than other trials.
9 10 13We also assumed that trials in which experienced acupuncturists were allowed to use individually chosen acupuncture points (in addition to several fixed points) could differ in effect from other trials.
We used the categorization of surgical patients and medical patients by the authors of the mixed ICU RCTs and assumed that trials conducted in surgical ICUs and medical ICUs included exclusively surgical patients and medical patients, respectively.
It is assumed the trial findings are generalizable to other (non-trial) healthcare settings.
It should not be assumed by trial coordinators that recruiters have a full understanding of RCT and recruitment methods.
10 We assumed that trial employees would take 40 days' leave pro rata, including 30 days' annual leave and 10 days' sick leave.
One implication is caution in assuming that trial-over-trial depression is due to CS-linked plasticity.
