ArticleStatistics in medicine1995
On the use of a pilot sample for sample size determination.
Article in Statistics in medicine, 1995. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 21 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 483 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Gut-Brain-axis: Targets for Improvement of Cognition in the Elderly
Comparison of Postoperative Inguinal Pain Between the Onstep Technique and the Lichtenstein Technique: A Randomized Controlled Study.
A Safety and Feasibility Study of Water-only Fasting and Refeeding for Treatment of Stage 1 and 2 Hypertensive Patients
Preventive Anti-inflammatory Diet to Reduce Gastro-intestinal Inflammation in FAP Patients: a Prospective Pilot Study
Pilot Study to Test the Feasibility of IV Injected Tc-99m-tilmanocept for Imaging of M2-like Tumour Associated Macrophages in Metastatic Melanoma
Enhancing Resilience in Senior Living Community Residents
A Prospective Intra-patient Single-blinded Randomised Trial to Examine the Mechanistic Basis of fractiOnal Ablative carbOn Dioxide Laser Therapy in Treating Adult Burns and/or Trauma Patients With Hypertrophic Scarring
Enhancing Resilience in Senior Living Community Residents: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Takotsubo Syndrome and Air Pollution: the "Tako-Air" Study
Motivational to Weight Loss Version 1 (MWL v.1): Protocol for a Feasibility Single-arm, Open-label Clinical Trial of a Motivational Interviewing, Stages and Processes of Change-based Intervention for Weight Loss in Adults
Developing a Nonpharmacological Pain Intervention for Community-dwelling Older Adults With Dementia
Clinical Evaluation and Characterization of Normal Perioral Tissue With a New Advanced Videodermoscopy Method. A Pilot Study on Dental Students.
Acceptability and Feasibility of a Preventive Indicated Intervention for Suicidality in University Students: Reframe-IT+U
Effects of Mobile-based Mindfulness Intervention to Reduce Preoperative Anxiety for Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) in Prediabetes: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Behavioural Impact, Patient Experiences and Provider Perspectives
Effects on Facial Skin Aging After Topical Application of Exosomes With a Microneedling Device
Fractional CO2 Laser-assisted Delivery of Hyaluronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid and Sodium DNA For Enhancing Facial Skin Quality in Individuals Over the Age of 30
The Application of Intralesional 5-fluorouracil for the Management of Hypertrophic Facial Scars in the Periocular Region Resulting From Trauma and Surgical Procedures in Individuals Aged Over 18 Years
Lay-led Brief Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) Group for Older Adults in Hong Kong: A Pilot Study
Effects of Dance-based Multimodal Exercise Programme for Managing Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Solid Tumors: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study
A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mental Fitness Intervention for Anesthesiology Resident Wellbeing and Self-Compassion
Who cites it
483 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of pharmacy education and practice on prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases in ASEAN countries.Scientific reports · 2025Pooled it
- A Co-Designed Post-ICU Follow-Up Pathway Is Feasible and May Be Associated With Improved Psychosocial Recovery for Patients and Their Caregivers: Outcomes From the IMPACT-ICU Single-Center Randomized Controlled Trial.Critical care explorations · 2026Trial
- The feasibility of delivering and evaluating stratified care integrated with telehealth ('Rapid Stratified Telehealth') for patients with low back pain: a feasibility and pilot randomised controlled trial.Clinical rheumatology · 2026Trial
- Efficacy and safety of Kami Guibi-tang in older adults with insomnia and memory complaints: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2026Trial
- Cow's milk compared to oat drink and its implications for lipid profile- a pilot randomized controlled trial.Nutrition journal · 2026Trial
- A videoconferencing group-based psychoeducation for family caregivers of people living with dementia: a feasibility study.BMC geriatrics · 2026Trial
- A multimodal cancer rehabilitation programme promoting sense of coherence for women treated for female reproductive cancers: a pilot randomised controlled trial.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Withdrawal of heart failure therapy after atrial fibrillation rhythm control with ejection fraction normalization: the WITHDRAW-AF trial.European heart journal · 2026Trial
- Feasibility, Safety and Preliminary Efficacy of 1:1 THC:CBD Cannabis Oil for Fibromyalgia Symptoms: Results From a Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial.Pain research & management · 2026Trial
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- Trial
- Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Diabetes Related Foot Ulcers: A Pilot Three-Arm Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial.International wound journal · 2025Trial
- Impact of an asynchronous telerehabilitation program on the self-efficacy and motivation for physical activity in discharged COVID-19 patients: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.Annals of medicine · 2025Trial
- Virtual reality intervention for visual perception in schizophrenia-a single blind pilot randomized controlled trial.BMC psychiatry · 2025Trial
- Moderated Online Social Therapy (MOST) in Help-Seeking Young People: Pilot Randomized Controlled Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Trial
- Pilot Study of a Mobile, Virtual Reality-Based Digital Therapeutic for Smoking Cessation: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Trial
- An Anthocyanin- and Anti-Ageing Amino Acids-Enriched Pigmented Rice Innovation Promotes Healthy Ageing Through the Modulation of Telomere, Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Reduction: A Randomized Clinical Trial.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Trial
- Pulmonary ventilation distribution with low-cost and commercial incentive spirometers measured by electrical impedance tomography in a randomized clinical trial.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Efficacy and safety of curcumin in patients with hand osteoarthritis: a pilot double-blinded randomised controlled trial.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2025Trial
423 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
To compute the sample size needed to achieve the planned power for a t-test, one needs an estimate of the population standard deviation sigma. If one uses the sample standard deviation from a small pilot study as an estimate of sigma, it is quite likely that the actual power for the planned study will be less than the planned power. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that using a 100(1-gamma) per cent upper one-sided confidence limit on sigma will provide a sample size sufficient to achieve the planned power in at least 100(1-gamma) per cent of such trials.
Indexed as
Identifiers
8532986What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.