Statistical review is almost always needed for peer-reviewed journals to ensure proper evaluation of a study's sample size, sampling, randomization, blinding, interpretation of findings, and appropriate handling of uncertainty through confidence intervals. Reviewers should check that authors provide confidence intervals that exclude clinically relevant differences when finding no effect, and that interpret the range of possible values when finding a difference. This helps improve the rigor and reliability of clinical research.

1. Aleksandra Turkiewicz, PhD, CStat
Associate editor for statistics, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Clinical epidemiology unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
So You Want To Be a Reviewer?
Tips for Writing an Effective Review
for Peer-Reviewed Journals

2. Disclosures
• None

3. When do we need statistical review?
• (Almost) always
Deputy editor:
Prof. Jonas Ranstam
Lund University
Associate editor:
Prof. Simon Skene
University of Surrey

4. Sample size
Sampling
Randomization
Blinding
The Four Riders of the Apocalypse (1498)
Albrecht Durer
The four horsemen of the Apocalypse

5. Interpretation of findings

6. @dr_englund

7. Embrace uncertainty!
1. “no difference” – demand a confidence
interval that excludes
biologically/clinically relevant difference
2. “there was a difference” – demand a
confidence interval and interpretation
of the values included in this interval
3. “significant” – the authors probably have
little to come with
YouUncertainty
Bartolomeo Cesi