Basics of methodologic analysis of therapeutic trials. Part III: applicability of the results to the individual patient.

One of the most compelling questions a cardiologist (and, for that matter, any clinician) has to face involves choosing the optimal management strategy for their patients. One of the best sources of information about therapy is the randomized controlled trial, which, despite several significant shortcomings, is considered to be the gold standard in studies about therapeutics and prevention. The methodologic quality of therapeutic trials is highly variable and--as already discussed in previous articles--in order to be useful they have to be critically appraised in terms of the validity of their results, their importance, and their applicability to the individual patient. In two previous articles published in the Journal, critical appraisal of evidence in therapeutic trials was presented, concerning the validity and the importance of the results. In this article, we will present a critical appraisal of the applicability of the results to the individual patient.