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. 2020 Nov 23;181(2):282–284. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.4799

Table 2. Comparison of Trial Characteristics, by Reporting of NNT, NNH, and ARR.

Characteristic No. (%) P value
Trials reporting at least 1 NNT, NNH, and/or ARR (n = 292) Trials not reporting any NNT, NNH, and/or ARR (n = 583)
Therapeutic area <.001
Cardiology 54 (18.5) 104 (17.8)
Diabetes 10 (3.4) 26 (4.5)
Infectious disease 43 (14.7) 85 (14.6)
Mood and behavior disorders 20 (6.9) 29 (5.0)
Oncology 21 (7.2) 106 (18.2)
Other 144 (49.3) 233 (40.0)
Type of intervention .44
Drugs, biologics, or vaccines 155 (53.1) 317 (54.4)
Surgeries and procedures 42 (14.4) 84 (14.4)
Supplements and nutritional interventions 12 (4.1) 37 (6.3)
Other 83 (28.4) 145 (24.9)
Patient follow-up, median (IQR), mo 12 (3-21) 12 (4-24) .04
Enrollment, median (IQR) 612 (252-1811) 660 (278-2002) .64
Funding .65
Any industry 141 (48.3) 282 (48.4)
Government/nonprofit only 147 (50.3) 287 (49.2)
Disclosed no funding received or no funding statement 4 (1.4) 14 (2.4)

Abbreviations: ARR, absolute risk reduction; IQR, interquartile range; NNH, number needed to harm; NNT, number needed to treat. Trials reported were those with at least 1 statistically significant (P < .05) finding for a binary effect or safety outcome or hazard ratio reported in the abstract.