Hennekens C H, Eberlein K
Prev Med. 1985 Mar;14(2):165-8. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(85)90031-3.
The Physicians' Health Study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial underway in the United States to assess the effects of aspirin (325 mg q.o.d.) on total cardiovascular mortality, and of beta-carotene (50 mg q.o.d.) on cancer incidence. The participants are 22,071 U.S. male physicians between the ages of 40-84 years. The design of the study is 2 x 2 factorial, which enables us to address two important research questions simultaneously. The trial is conducted entirely by mail, which involves sending calendar packs of drugs and questionnaires on health status and compliance, initially at six-month then at annual intervals. Compliance and follow-up rates to date are excellent. The large size of the trial, its simple design, and the use of highly motivated, dedicated, and health-conscious physicians should allow us to perform definitive tests of whether low-dose aspirin consumption reduces total cardiovascular mortality and beta-carotene decreases cancer incidence in a healthy population.
医生健康研究是美国正在进行的一项随机、安慰剂对照、双盲临床试验，旨在评估阿司匹林（每日325毫克）对心血管疾病总死亡率的影响，以及β-胡萝卜素（每日50毫克）对癌症发病率的影响。参与者为22071名年龄在40至84岁之间的美国男性医生。该研究采用2×2析因设计，使我们能够同时解决两个重要的研究问题。试验完全通过邮件进行，包括寄送药物日历包以及关于健康状况和依从性的问卷，最初每六个月寄送一次，之后每年寄送一次。迄今为止，依从率和随访率都很高。该试验规模大、设计简单，且参与者是积极性高、专注且有健康意识的医生，这应能让我们对低剂量阿司匹林摄入是否能降低健康人群的心血管疾病总死亡率以及β-胡萝卜素是否能降低癌症发病率进行确定性测试。
