Significance for the sake of significance: the relevance of statistical data.

Statistical tests are important tools in assessing the outcomes of clinical research studies. Although the appropriate application of statistics is fundamental to the interpretation and presentation of scientific data, the literature is awash with examples of basic statistical errors and inappropriate analyses. In addition, consideration should always be given to the clinical impact of statistical data. There is a risk of focusing too heavily on statistical significance without full appreciation of the potentially broader clinical significance of results. This report, based on a recent article in Nature by David L. Vaux (1 ), briefly discusses the inappropriate use of basic statistics and highlights the concept of statistical vs clinical significance.