ArticleInterventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences2019
Number needed to treat: A primer for neurointerventionalists.
Article in Interventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Are we improving? Temporal trends in outcomes for mechanical thrombectomy for stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.Interventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences · 2026Pooled it
- Number Needed to Treat and Cost Per Responder Analysis of Anti-CGRP Monoclonal Antibodies for Migraine Prevention in Adults for Whom Prior Preventive Treatments have Failed.Advances in therapy · 2025Trial
- Noninvasive or minimally invasive neuromodulation in animal models of acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Neuroprotection (Chichester, England) · 2026Article
- Review
- Value of CT perfusion imaging in wake-up strokes - a comparative study of patients qualifying for thrombolysis vs those not suitable for thrombolysis.African journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence · 2026Article
- Effect of concomitant usage of alteplase and mechanical thrombectomy for M1 middle cerebral artery occlusion on clinical outcome: a retrospective analysis of 457 patients from two centers.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Article
- Update on Neurointerventional Therapy for the Treatment of Acute Cerebral Ischemia.Delaware journal of public health · 2023Article
- Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Stroke Reperfusion Therapy in the USA.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2023Review
- Acute ischemic stroke treatment model for Poland in the mechanical thrombectomy era - which way to go?Postepy w kardiologii interwencyjnej = Advances in interventional cardiology · 2022Review
- When Should Neuroendovascular Care for Patients With Acute Stroke Be Palliative?AMA journal of ethics · 2021Article
- Foundational Statistical Principles in Medical Research: A Tutorial on Odds Ratios, Relative Risk, Absolute Risk, and Number Needed to Treat.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Review
- Article
- Preserving Access: A Review of Stroke Thrombectomy during the COVID-19 Pandemic.AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology · 2020Review
- Number Needed to Treat with Vertebral Augmentation to Save a Life.AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe number needed to treat is a commonly used statistical term in modern neurointerventional practice. It represents the number of patients that need to be treated for one patient to benefit from an intervention. Given its growing popularity in reflecting study results, understanding the basics behind this statistic is of practical value to the neurointerventionalist.
methodsHere, we review the basic theory and calculation of the number needed to treat, its application to stroke interventions, and its limitations. In addition, we demonstrate several simple methods of calculating the number needed to treat utilizing recent thrombectomy trial results. By presenting the number needed to treat as a universal metric, we provide a comprehensive comparative of the number needed to treat for key stroke therapies, including mechanical thrombectomy, tissue plasminogen activator, carotid endarterectomy, and prevention with antiplatelet and statin drugs.
conclusionsIn comparison with available stroke therapies, mechanical thrombectomy stands out as the most effective acute intervention in patients with emergent large-vessel occlusions. Understanding how the number needed to treat is derived and its implications helps provide perspective to clinical trial data, identify health-care resource priorities, and improve communication with patients, health-care providers, and additional key stakeholders.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.