The phrase
"dichotomous outcomes" refers to situations where there are only two possible results or options. It means that there is a clear division or distinction between two distinct and opposite outcomes, with no middle ground or other possibilities.
Full definition
We used random effects methods to
compare dichotomous outcomes (risk ratio for efficacy and odds ratio for safety); therefore estimates meta - analysed over multiple trials are average treatment effects.
The relations between independent predictor variables (measures of immunological and psychological function at entry to the trial, age of onset, and duration of illness) and
dependent dichotomous outcome variables (self rated global outcome; presence or absence of caseness on the general health questionnaire at follow up; reduced or normal delayed responses to hypersensitivity skin test) were examined in separate logistic regression analyses.
For
dichotomous outcomes, we planned to pool events between groups across studies using risk ratios (RRs) and 95 % CIs.
For
dichotomous outcomes, rate ratios (RRs) from Poisson models are presented.
For
dichotomous outcomes, we fitted logistic regression models, whereas for count outcomes, we used negative binomial models.
We used xtreg in Stata for continuous outcomes and xtlogit for
dichotomous outcomes.
The size of effect is described by the standardized difference (Cohen's «d») between means or proportions, and the association between treatment group and outcomes is described by the odds ratio for
dichotomous outcomes and the correlation ratio (η) for continuous outcomes.
For
dichotomous outcomes, differences were tested using χ2 analysis.