This paper is a brief report of the symposium, “Improving the Evidence Base for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care”, organized by the MASTER Anaesthesia Trial Study Group at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, Newcastle, N.S.W., on Tuesday, May 5, 1998.
WedelD.J., BrennanT.J., WhiteP.F., SandlerA.Workshop on how to perform clinical studies, (Report).Anesthesiology1997; 87: 1021–1022.
3.
FriemanJ.A., ChalmersT.C., SmithH., KeublerR.R.The importance of beta, the type II error and sample size in the design and interpretation of the randomised control trial. Survey of 71 negative trials.N Engl J Med1978; 29: 690–695.
4.
SackettD.L., HaynesR.B., GuyattG.H., TugwellP.Clinical Epidemiology: A Basic Science for Clinical Medicine.2nd Ed.Boston, Little Brown1991; 187–248.
5.
GreenbergP.The interpretation of clinical trials.Australian Prescriber1997; 20: 61–64.
6.
HorwitzR.I.Complexity and contradiction in clinical trial research.Am J Med1987; 82: 498–510.
7.
ClarkeM.Meta-analysis, collaborative overview, systematic review: what does it all mean?Australian Prescriber1997; 20: 93–96.
8.
RiggJ.R.A., JamrozikK.Outcome after general or regional anaesthesia in high-risk patients.Curr Opin Anesthesiol1998; 11: 327–331.
9.
YeagerM.P., GlassD.D., NeffR.K., Brinck-JohnsenT.Epidural anesthesia and analgesia in high-risk surgical patients.Anesthesiology1987; 66: 729–736.
10.
HamiltonC.S.Expanding the evidence base for localised prostate cancer.Med J Aust1998; 168: 28–30.
11.
HjortsoN.C., NeumannP., FrosigF.A controlled study on the effect of epidural analgesia with local anaesthetics and morphine on morbidity after abdominal surgery.Acta Anaesthesiol Scand1985; 29: 790–796.
12.
BaronJ.F., BertrandM., BarreE.Combined epidural and general anesthesia versus general anesthesia for abdominal aortic surgery.Anesthesiology1991; 75: 611–618.
13.
TumanK., McCarthyR.J., MarchR.J., DelariaG.A., PatelR.V., IvankovichA.D.Effects of epidural anesthesia and analgesia on coagulation and outcome after major vascular surgery.Anesth Analg1991; 73: 696–704.