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. 1999 Apr;33(4):433-6.
doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(99)70308-2.

Number needed to treat (NNT)

W H Cordell  1
Affiliations

Number needed to treat (NNT)

W H Cordell. Ann Emerg Med. 1999 Apr.

Abstract

Because decisions regarding therapy are so common in clinical practice, the application of number needed to treat (NNT) is one of the most important evidence-based medicine skills to be acquired. NNT provides a clinically useful "yardstick" of the effort required to have a beneficial outcome or prevent a bad outcome with a therapy. A brief overview of the concept, derivation, and application of NNT is presented.

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