RT Journal
A1 Covinsky KE
T1 The incremental nature of clinical research: Comment on “the association of aspirin use with age-related macular degeneration”
JF JAMA Internal Medicine
JO JAMA Internal Medicine
YR 2013
FD February 25
VO 173
IS 4
SP 266
OP 266
DO 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.2790
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.2790
AB 
The eloquent Invited Commentary by Kaul and Diamond illustrates the great care that must be taken before concluding that an association described in an observational study truly represents a cause-effect relationship. In our discussion of the article by Liew and colleagues, the editors believed that it provided useful incremental data about an important condition. However, as with many good studies, the data are not definitive enough to suggest changes in clinical practice. Rather, we hope the study galvanizes more research on the relationship between aspirin and macular degeneration. For example, ASPREE (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly), a large international, randomized controlled trial on the effect of aspirin on cardiovascular outcomes and dementia in elderly persons, hopefully will consider rigorously assessing for macular degeneration.