Cluster randomized trial (CRT) is one of the most common design for complex intervention. This paper mainly introduced:the definition of CRT, two designs of CRT including the completely randomization and the restricted randomization (such as stratified randomization and matching randomization), and the statistical analysis methods (such as the general statistical analysis and mixed effect model/multi-level model). This paper also introduced how to estimate the sample size of a CRT, how to report a CRT, and how to apply it into a clinical or community study.
This paper mainly introduces the design, advantages, disadvantages and its application of single case of randomized controlled trials (N-of-1 trials), and also introduces the commonly used data analysis methods of N-of-1 trials including nonparametric test and parameter test methods (t-test, paired t-test, analysis of variance), mixed-effects model, and meta-analysis. N-of-1 trials are suitable for individualized treatment, and could be expected to be widely used in the research of modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.
The standards for reporting of diagnostic accuracy (STARD) was developed for guiding the reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies. Its newest version was published in 2015. The study mainly introduced the checklist, terminology, and diagram of the STARD 2015. It is hoped that domestic researchers could use the STARD 2015 to guide the implementation and reporting of their diagnostic accuracy studies, so as to improve the reporting quality of diagnostic accuracy studies.
