Advances in statistical methodology and their application in critical care

Purpose of review: To review some of the major advances in statistical methodology of the past two decades and their application to investigations in critical care. Recent findings: The introduction of new technologies and the ready availability of advanced computer resources have led to significant developments in statistical methodology. These include the development of computationally intensive methods, improved methods for modeling correlated outcome data, and new methods for handling missing data. Although many of these tools are available in standard statistical software, they remain underutilized in the medical literature. Summary: By becoming familiar with advances in statistical methodology, researchers and clinicians can enhance collaboration with their statistical colleagues, toward the goal of better study design and analysis.