Understanding Bayesian analysis of clinical trials: an overview for clinicians

Abstract

Bayesian analysis is being used with increasing frequency in critical care research and brings advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional Frequentist techniques. This study overviews this methodology and explains the terminology encountered when appraising this literature. Setting different priors can impact the interpretation of new results, and we describe an approach to understanding this. Finally, the strengths and challenges of adopting a Bayesian analysis compared to Frequentist techniques are explored.