Table 2.
Interpretation of trials with non-significant negative results published in BMJ
| Author | Intervention | Effect on main outcome (P value) | Authors’ comment | Our view | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommendation | Reason | |||||
| Henderson et al5 | Sex education for 13-15 year olds | Increase in terminations (P=0.26) | High quality sex education should be continued | Sex education as evaluated in this trial should be stopped | Potential harm and more expensive | |
| Ciliberto et al6 | Antioxidant supplementation to prevent kwashiorkor | Increase in disease (P=0.06) | Supplementation with these antioxidants was not associated with better growth or less fever, cough, or diarrhoea | Supplements should not be given | Increased risk of harm | |
| Laurant et al7 | Adding nurse practitioners to general practice team | Increase in general practitioner consultations (P=0.057) | Nurse practitioners did not reduce general practitioners’ workload | Unsure | Increase in workload, which may benefit patients | |
| Jespersen et al8 | Short term clarithromycin for patients with stable coronary heart disease | Increase in mortality or cardiac non-fatal outcomes (P=0.08) | Clarithromycin may cause increased mortality | Drug should not be given | Increased harm and cost | |
| Watson et al9 | Safety advice and equipment to reduce injuries among children under 5 living in deprived areas | Increase in medically attended injuries (P=0.09) | Advice that includes the offer of free home safety equipment, fitted free of charge, can improve safety practices of families living in deprived areas for up to two years | Intervention should not be given | Increased risk of harm and cost | |
| Dodd et al10 | Oral misoprostol for induction of labour at term | Increase risk of labour >24 hours (P=0.134) | No significant difference between oral misoprostol and vaginal dinoprostone gel | Women preferred oral treatment | Unsure | Increased risk of longer labour but reduced risk of caesarean section |
| Sanders et al11 | Lidocaine spray to reduce perineal pain during spontaneous vaginal delivery | Increased pain (P=0.14) | Perineal analgesia during second stage labour was acceptable to women and midwives | Lidocaine spray had no noticeable effect on perineal pain during spontaneous vaginal delivery | Lidocaine spray should not be used | Increase in pain scores for women receiving intervention |