DEPARTMENT OF ANESTHESIOLOGY ANNUAL REPORT

BIOSTATISTICS AND
CLINICAL OUTCOME
William D. White, M.P.H.
Chief, Division of Biostatistics
and Clinical Outcomes
MEMBERS:
Habib El-Moalem, Ph.D.
Barbara Phillips-Bute, Ph.D.
Regina deLacy, B.A.
BIOSTATISTICS AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES
One of the primary commitments and
achievements of the Department of
Anesthesia is research, evidenced by
increasing numbers of publications,
funded research studies, and most
important, improvements in patient
care. Since its organization in 1997, the
Division of Biostatistics and Clinical
Outcomes has been committed to
providing the necessary statistical
resources and support to promote and
enhance these efforts. Working in productive
collaboration with clinicians
and other research faculty and staff,
division members provide statistical
leadership and guidance in the areas of
study design, information management,
and analysis and interpretation of data.
Our mission within the Department is
two-fold: to encourage and promote
research of the highest quality, and to
teach sound principles and interpretation
of statistical research techniques
and results.
Research
74 BIOSTATISTICS AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES..
Two purposes shape the Division's work
with respect to research. First, we support
investigators in the department by
collaborating on both clinical and laboratory
studies. This involves help with
preparing grant proposals, defining
hypotheses, designing studies and calculating
sample sizes, collecting and
managing data, analyzing the data, and
interpreting and reporting results. In
this role we are involved with investigators
at all levels and virtually all divisions
in the department.
Examples of recent projects include
interventions to reduce cognitive
deficits following CABG; effectiveness
of continuous interscalene brachial
plexus block for ambulatory surgery; a
grant to support identification of genes
associated with postoperative delirium
using DNA microarrays; effectiveness
of analgesia after cesarean delivery;
a genetic association with 4 cytokine
inflammatory markers; and correlation
of BIS index with sedation in the ICU.
In the past year the division’s three biostatisticians
provided sample size estimates
for over 150 studies and worked
with over 650 sets of data. Two large
research databases we administer contain
data on nearly 10,000 admissions
for 19 study protocols.
The second area of our research
is within biostatistics. To stay at the
leading edge of our field requires
methodological research and development,
both theoretical and applied.
Areas of current research include factor
analysis of cognitive outcomes data,
statistical methods for genetic and
microarray data, methods for analysis
of continuous-monitor output, variance
components, validation methods, and
incorporation of surrogate variables
in clinical trials.
Teaching
It is the nature of our work and part of
our mission to promote a sound understanding
of statistical principles and to
help clients interpret and evaluate their
own results and those of others. To this
end, members of the division are actively
involved in educational activities
within the department. A vital and rewarding
part of every analysis is the oneon-one
interaction with clients exploring
questions and explaining methods,
results, and appropriate interpretation.
Fellows are mentored in the statistical
part of their projects by statisticians.
The group participates in weekly conferences
and seminars with faculty,
fellows, and medical students. Additionally,
Dr. Habib El-Moalem teaches
in the curriculum of the Department
of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics.
Regina DeLacey, B.S., Habib El-Moalem, Ph.D., Barbara
Phillips-Bute, Ph.D, William Whitey, M.S.