Emphasis on the cause-effect deduction in clinical studies——Discussion of association factors,predicting factors and risk factors / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

ABSTRACT

Cause-effect deduction is the basis of both natural and social sciences. Both wealthy knowledge and logical design are essential in obtaining the true causality among medical studies. Though association analysis provides important information for cause-effect deduction, it does not mean causality itself. Before the existence of the causality between two variables being identified, rigorous criteria must be followed. A number of indexes, such as the significance and the degree of the association, the dose-response relationship, the biology-based possibility, as well as the consistency and specificity, all should be examined very carefully. Clear verifiable hypotheses, rational selection of subjects, reliable experimental methods, appropriate statistical analysis and correct logical deductions, all are the integral parts that finally constitute a faithful deduction.