Medical Writings
Medical Writings
Annals of Internal Medicine
BOOK NOTES
Structured abstracts of information on newly published books, com-
orate in more complex, interdisciplinary clinical research, but fluency
puter programs, selected Web sites, and other material are provided in
in clinical research methods will require something more.
this portion of Medical Writings.
Related readings: This book is a companion to Katz’s Multivari-
able Analysis: A Practical Guide for Clinicians (Cambridge Univ Pr,
1999). Other books on this topic include Gallin’s Principles and
Study Design and Statistical Analysis: A Practical
Practice of Clinical Research (Academic Pr, 2002) and Portney’s
Guide for Clinicians
Foundations of Clinical Research: Applications to Practice, second edi-
Katz M. 200 pages. New York: Cambridge Univ Pr; 2006. $36.00.
tion (Prentice Hall, 2000). However, both books aim to serve more
ISBN 0521534070. Order at www.cambridge.org/us.
as reference texts than books one might read straight through.
Reviewer: Halcyon Skinner, PhD, MPH, University of Wiscon-
Field of medicine: Clinical research.
sin School of Medicine Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin.
Format: Softcover book.
Audience: Clinicians or medical students with an interest in con-
Clinical Critical Care Medicine
ducting observational research or clinical studies, and those who
Albert RK, Slutsky A, Ranieri M, et al. 722 pages. Philadelphia:
want to better understand research methods in medical literature.
Mosby; 2006. $139.00. ISBN 0323028446. Order at http://us
Purpose: With its companion book, to “enable clinical researchers
.elsevierhealth.com.
to design rigorous studies and analyse the data using both basic and
Field of medicine: Critical care.
advanced statistical techniques.”
Format: Hardcover book with CD-ROM.
Content: The book surveys clinical research from the formulation
Audience: Physicians (critical care specialists, as well as any disci-
of a research question through the collection and analysis of data to
pline, including physicians in training), nurses, respiratory therapists,
the publication of results. Chapters are organized by the natural
or any other individuals who are interested in the pathophysiology
history of clinical research, from “Designing a Study” to “Publishing
and care of patients requiring intensive care unit management.
Research.” Chapters are divided into topics headed by questions that
a clinical researcher might ask during the process. Early topics in-
Purpose: To provide an overview of critical care medicine.
clude “How do I choose a study design?”, advice on getting institu-
Content: A group of international authors gives an overview of the
tional review board approval, and “How do I manage my data?”
discipline of critical care medicine. The scope of clinical scenarios
Core sections are devoted to detailed statistical topics, such as “How
covered is broad and clinically appropriate. Sections include organ-
do I determine the number of subjects needed for my study?” and
specific issues, as well as basic biology and topics of general practice
“How is validity determined for predictive studies?” The book con-
(for example, severity of illness, monitoring of patients, and end-of-
cludes with sections about interpreting results, publishing manu-
life procedures).
scripts, and even answers the question: “How do I deal with the
Highlights: Each chapter begins with a list of key points and is
media?”
complete with graphs, tables, and other graphics. The accompanying
Highlights: The book succeeds in providing a comprehensive over-
CD-ROM allows the reader to import these images for teaching
view of the nuts and bolts of clinical research in a concise, readable
purposes. Reading levels of the chapters range from simple to very
package. The author presents information in a style that is light and
complex.
enjoyable to read, and he excels at explaining tedious topics with a
Limitations: Critical care medicine involves many specialties, vari-
generous amount of appropriate anecdotes.
ous types of patients, and limitless clinical interventions. Although
the authors herald from around the world, their approaches to care
Limitations: Although the book provides an overview of clinical
are applicable to patients in North America. Regardless, with chang-
research, details of important concepts are sometimes omitted. For
ing medical practices, readers should always scrutinize any drug,
example, considerable discussion of the randomization of partici-
drug dosage, or suggested clinical plan of care.
pants to eliminate confounding excludes any mention of the role
that intention-to-treat analysis plays in this method. This book may
Related readings: Any of several textbooks on critical care medi-
best be viewed as a conversational course in the terms and methods
cine.
of clinical research. Understanding the concepts and methods that
Reviewer: Jeffrey S. Groeger, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering
the book present may enable one to perform a basic study or collab-
Cancer Center, New York, New York.
744 © 2007 American College of Physicians
