Box 6.

Exemplars on reporting outcomes in the abstract

Example 1. Bayesian RAR dose finding AD with early stopping for efficacy or futility “The primary outcome required, first, a greater than 90% posterior probability that the most promising levocarnitine dose decreases the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score at 48 h and, second (given having met the first condition), at least a 30% predictive probability of success in reducing 28-day mortality in a subsequent traditional superiority trial to test efficacy.” [142] Example 2. Sequential-step AD “The primary efficacy endpoint was definitive cure (absence of parasites in tissue aspirates) at 6 months. If interim analyses, based on initial cure evaluated 30 days after the start of treatment…“ [143]