Remicade reach trial replicated by Improve care now network

[my little penguin]

http://improvecarenowblog.org/2013/02/20/icn-reach-ddw2013/


Kappelman MD, Bailey LC, Crandall WV, Zhang P, King E, Joffe M, Colletti RB, Forrest CB and the ImproveCareNow Network

Real-World Clinical and Comparative Effectiveness of Infliximab in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease

 

[xmdmom]

I would like someone familiar with statistics and epidemiology to comment on the NNT number needed to treat. In this paper, it says "Biologics were associated with increased remission (hazard ratio 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.0) and steroid free remission (hazard ratio 2.0, 95% CI 1.5-2.7), with corresponding number needed to treat (NNT) of 7.8 and 5.3."

Per wikipedia, NNT is an epidemiological measure used in assessing the effectiveness of a health-care intervention, typically a treatment with medication. The NNT is the average number of patients who need to be treated to prevent one additional bad outcome (i.e. the number of patients that need to be treated for one to benefit compared with a control in a clinical trial).

So 7.8 and 5.3 seem high. To me it means that you need to treat almost 8 people to get one in remission. Any thoughts? amyrenee? SarahD? anyone?