Superiority trials, definition

Of course assay sensitivity applies in the same way to trials which evaluate superiority, but in those cases things take care of themselves. A conclusion of superiority by definition implies that the trial is a sensitive instrument, otherwise superiority would not have been detected. 

There are a number of values of the treatment effect (delta or A) that could lead to rejection of the null hypothesis of no difference between the two means. For purposes of estimating a sample size the power of the study (that is, the probability that the null hypothesis of no difference is rejected given that the alternate hypothesis is true) is calculated for a specific value of A. in the case of a superiority trial, this specific value represents the minimally clinically relevant difference between groups that, if found to be plausible on the basis of the sample data through construction of a confidence interval, would be viewed as evidence of a definitive and clinically important treatment effect. 

Extoisive experimental studies with these inhibitois have been perfomied in vitro and in vivo, and a limited number of clinical trials have been carried out As yet none of these agents have a defined role in clinical medicine. Although they have several theoretical advantages over cyclooxygenase inhibitors (203,204), definite superiority of these agents over aspirin in human therapy remains to be demonstrated (205). 

For general use in the drying of ethereal extracts, one of us previously recommended shaking with saturated sodium chloride solution and filtering through a cone of anhydrous sodium sulfate which see), but he is now convinced by the literature cited and from personal trials that calcium sulfate is definitely superior. In one informative experiment, ether was saturated with water at 25° and a ItlO-ml. 

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