Spine Terms

Abstract

Just when you thought you could evaluate clutch hitting by looking at “RBIs,” along comes evidence-based medicine to tell you, “it don't mean a thing,” without “RRIs.” Evidence-based medicine (say EBM) comes with its own new jargon, abbreviations and all. “RBI,” in the EBM context, means relative benefit increase, which, along with “ABI” (absolute benefit increase) and “NNT” (number needed to treat), must be compared with “RRI” (relative risk increase), as well as the “ARI” (absolute risk increase) and “NNH” (number needed to harm). To evaluate studies, one should also be alert to the “EER” (experimental event rate), the “CER” (control event rate), and the uncertainty of the measurement expressed as the “CI” (confidence interval). One may then be able to assess “ARR” (absolute risk reduction) and/or relative risk reduction, “RRR.” When you hear “RRR,” don't look for the Reading RailRoad, or seek out the “next thing smokin “—you'll get used to it. 1 Sackett D.L. Richardson W.S. Rosenberg W. Haynes R.B. Evidence-based medicine. Churchill Livingstone, How to practice and teach EBM. New York1998 Google Scholar , 2 Sackett D.L. Editorial evidence-based medicine. Spine. 1998; 23: 1085-1086 Crossref PubMed Scopus (85) Google Scholar , 3 Wright J.G. Glossary of terms for evidence-based orthopaedics. J Bone Joint Surg (Am). 2000; 82A: 1810 Google Scholar