The Misuse of Statistics

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 586-587
Author(s):  
Dennis F. Hoeffler
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effect ◽  
Recent Article ◽  
Probability Analysis ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Stimulant Drugs ◽  
Basic Assumptions ◽  
Hyperactive Children ◽  
Mathematical Analyses

The increased utilization of probability analysis in medical publications has been accompanied by recurrent examples of the misapplication of biostatistical technique. A recent article in Pediatrics is a case in point. The authors support their premise that stimulant drugs have an adverse effect on the growth of hyperactive children with sophisticated statistical evaluations. They have, however, violated some basic assumptions that underlie their mathematical analyses. The most evident error is the lack of randomness in the "treatment" groups.

Letters to the Editor

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 482-482
Author(s):  
J. Swanson
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Test ◽  
Test Procedure ◽  
Drug Trial ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Letters To The Editor ◽  
Stimulant Drug ◽  
Stimulant Drugs ◽  
Hyperactive Children ◽  
Initial Work ◽  
Conservative Bias

In their letter, McLaughlin and Tso have misinterpreted the purpose of the short-term diagnostic drug trial we have proposed (Pediatrics 61:21, 1978). We developed our laboratory test procedure to screen out potential adverse responders, in order to prevent their mistreatment with stimulant drugs. We feel that this conservative bias is necessary, since there has been general agreement since Bradley's (1939, 1950) initial work that not all behaviorally hyperactive children have a favorable response to stimulant drug.1,2

Puberty attainment in oestradiol-treated gilts given allyl-trenbolone and gonadotrophins

1989 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Varley ◽  
H. Yang ◽  
R. G. Rodway
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effect ◽  
Ovulation Rate ◽  
Large White ◽  
Embryo Survival ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Oestradiol Benzoate

ABSTRACTSixty Large White ♂ × (Large White ♂ × Landrace ♀) pre-pubertal gilts were allocated at random to one of five treatments. Gilts on treatment A were given oestradiol benzoate (OB) at 160 days of age. They were also given allyl-trenbolone (AT) at 166 days of age for 18 days followed by an injection of gonadotrophins (Gn) at 184 days of age. Gilts on treatment B were given OB and AT, but not Gn. Gilts on treatment C were given OB and Gn, but not AT. Gilts on treatment D were given OB only and gilts on treatment E were given Gn only. Gilts which were in heat after 183 days of age were artificially inseminated twice during the first 2 days of oestrus. All gilts were slaughtered either 20 days after insemination or at 220 days of age if they were still anoestrus.The percentages of gilts ovulating after Gn injection were 36% (4/11), 91·7% (11/12) and 91·7% (11/12) for treatment groups A, C and E respectively (P < 0·01). Gilts on treatments A, C and E were inseminated at a significantly younger age than those on treatments B and D (P < 0·05). No significant differences were found in ovulation rate or embryo survival between treatments.The results indicated that the administration of AT prior to Gn injection had an adverse effect on both the percentage of gilts ovulating and the development of embryos.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SUPPRESSANT EFFECTS OF TWO STIMULANT DRUGS ON THE GROWTH OF HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 660-667
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Safer ◽  
Richard P. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Stimulant Medication ◽  
Growth Suppression ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Significant Suppression ◽  
Stimulant Drug ◽  
Stimulant Drugs ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Hyperactive Children ◽  
Regular Intake

The effect of the regular intake of stimulant medication for two or more years on growth in weight and height was evaluated for 63 hyperactive children, 29 of whom received dextroamphetamine, 20 of whom received methylphenidate, and 14 of whom received no medication because of parental objection. Major findings were: the long-term use of dextroamphetamine in hyperactive children causes a highly significant suppression of growth in weight and height; the long-term use of methylphenidate causes a less striking growth suppression only when daily doses over 20 mg are administered; tolerance develops to the weight suppressant effects of dextroamphetamine, but not to is inhibition of height growth; increasing the total degree of stimulant drug use over time generally increases the degree of growth suppression.

On Liberalization

1979 ◽  
Vol 14 (01) ◽  
pp. 37-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Aron
Keyword(s):  
Recent Article ◽  
Basic Assumptions

‘THE CLAIM WHICH IS BEING MADE IS THAT THE LIBERALIZATION is now becoming a generic and indeed a crucial phenomenon, as the Revolution had been; that, for good and in the main obvious reasons, it is replacing the earlier myth as a central political preoccupation or category; and that its basic assumptions are not merely more pertinent to our time, but probably also rather sounder by any criterion and at all times’. So wrote Ernest Gelher in a recent article destined in my view to initiate a vast debate.

Stimulant Drugs and Growth of Hyperactive Children

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 468-469
Author(s):  
Talcott Bates
Keyword(s):  
Dose Level ◽  
Longitudinal Growth ◽  
Stimulant Drugs ◽  
Hyperactive Children

The excellent and timely study by Drs. Safer and Allen,1 indicating suppression of longitudinal growth with dextroamphetamine, does not mention dosage. Would the authors comment on this? Do all doses of dextroamphetamine sulphate suppress longitudinal growth in children or may there be a dose level which is nonsuppressive?

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