Comparison

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Comparison (Medicine)

Comparison (pronunciation: /kəmˈparɪs(ə)n/) in the field of medicine refers to the act of contrasting two or more medical conditions, treatments, or outcomes to evaluate their similarities and differences. The term is derived from the Latin word 'comparatio', meaning 'likeness, similarity'.

Overview

In medical research, comparison is a fundamental method used to establish the effectiveness of a treatment or intervention. It involves comparing the outcomes of a group receiving the treatment with those of a control group not receiving the treatment. This method is often used in clinical trials and epidemiological studies.

Types of Comparisons

There are several types of comparisons in medicine:

  • Direct comparison: This involves comparing two treatments directly within a single trial.
  • Indirect comparison: This involves comparing two treatments indirectly through a common comparator, such as a placebo or a standard treatment.
  • Network meta-analysis: This is a statistical method that allows for the comparison of multiple treatments simultaneously.

Related Terms

  • Control group: A group in a study that does not receive the treatment or intervention being studied. The outcomes of this group are compared with those of the group receiving the treatment.
  • Placebo: A substance with no therapeutic effect used as a control in testing new drugs.
  • Randomized controlled trial: A type of scientific experiment that aims to reduce bias when testing a new treatment. Participants are randomly allocated to either the group receiving the treatment or the control group.

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski