[M T]

Front page of CNN right now:
Drug touted by Trump as Covid-19 treatment linked to a greater risk of death, study finds
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/22/health/us...index.html

Here's the actual study report.

It is pretty clear to me that the patients that were in worse shape were given the medicines (and thus wound up in this study's test groups).

One could use this study's "control group" to see what factors give better outcomes.
Indeed, based on this study, I wonder if being a former smoker is actually beneficial for COVID-19.

Let's see, what are the factors associated with worse outcomes (and reported by this study):
Older:  Control group was younger than any of the test groups.
Male:  Control group had fewer males than any of the test groups.
Overweight:  Control group had lower BMI than any of the test groups.
Race:  Control group had more whites than 3 of the 4 test groups
Comorbidities:
  Coronary artery disease: Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Congestive heart failure: Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Arrhythmia: Control group was in the middle of the groups.
  Diabetes: Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Hypertension: Control group was much less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Hyperlipidaemia: Control group was more afflicted than 3 of the 4 test groups.
  COPD: Control group was less afflicted than 3 of the 4 test groups.
  Current smoker:  Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Former smoker: Control group was more afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Immunocompromised:  Control group was in the middle of the groups.
Disease Severity
  qSOFA:  Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  SPO2:  Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.

Maybe, they somehow overcame the statistical one-sidedness of their data by adjusting for it, but then I have to wonder if the conclusions are just a reflection of how over or under that adjustment was.

I do see how a particular media outlet that dumps on Trump would tout the higher deaths in the test group, but I don't think that's good science.  But it promotes the message that outlet wants to promote.  As for me, I'd file this study in the trash bin.

[This study aside (as it should be), I think the President is not behaving wisely in taking this drug.]

[M T]

Front page of CNN right now:
Drug touted by Trump as Covid-19 treatment linked to a greater risk of death, study finds
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/22/health/us...index.html

Here's the actual study report.

It is pretty clear to me that the patients that were in worse shape were given the medicines (and thus wound up in this study's test groups).

One could use this study's "control group" to see what factors give better outcomes.
Indeed, based on this study, I wonder if being a former smoker is actually beneficial for COVID-19.

Let's see, what are the factors associated with worse outcomes (and reported by this study):
Older:  Control group was younger than any of the test groups.
Male:  Control group had fewer males than any of the test groups.
Overweight:  Control group had lower BMI than any of the test groups.
Race:  Control group had more whites than 3 of the 4 test groups
Comorbidities:
  Coronary artery disease: Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Congestive heart failure: Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Arrhythmia: Control group was in the middle of the groups.
  Diabetes: Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Hypertension: Control group was much less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Hyperlipidaemia: Control group was more afflicted than 3 of the 4 test groups.
  COPD: Control group was less afflicted than 3 of the 4 test groups.
  Current smoker:  Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Former smoker: Control group was more afflicted than any of the test groups.
  Immunocompromised:  Control group was in the middle of the groups.
Disease Severity
  qSOFA:  Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.
  SPO2:  Control group was less afflicted than any of the test groups.

Maybe, they somehow overcame the statistical one-sidedness of their data by adjusting for it, but then I have to wonder if the conclusions are just a reflection of how over or under that adjustment was.

I do see how a particular media outlet that dumps on Trump would tout the higher deaths in the test group, but I don't think that's good science.  But it promotes the message that outlet wants to promote.  As for me, I'd file this study in the trash bin.

[This study aside (as it should be), I think the President is not behaving wisely in taking this drug.]