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Misoprostol and Gastrointestinal Complications in Patients Taking Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
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TO THE EDITOR:
I read with interest the report by Silverstein and colleagues [1]. As presented, the data are perhaps more optimistic than is justified. An alternative and perhaps more useful presentation of results for the clinician is the number of patients requiring treatment to prevent one complication [2].
I calculated that to prevent any complication, 286 patients would require treatment. Misoprostol treatment would be required in 586 patients to prevent one perforation and in 500 patients to avoid one serious complication excluding perforation.
Because the manner in which study results are presented can influence physician judgment about the treatment of patients, the presentation of the data in such a format conveys both statistical and clinical significance to the physician [3].
R. Madhok
A. McEntegart
N. Maiden
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Glasgow, the United Kingdom
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
- Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians
