1.

Yes
Comment: It is the randomized controlled trial. Patients were invited for randomization to
either the telephone counseling group or control group. 442 non-compliant patients were
randomly divided into 2 groups
2. No
Comment: As with most health service research, blinding was not possible because the
intervention was complex and caregivers were involved.
3. Yes
Comment: Upon Analysis of the study, patients are first separated into investigation and
control groups and within each group, they are identified whether they remain non-
compliant or become compliant after the period of study. Hence all subjects are kept in
their originally assigned groups which follows the intention-to-treat analysis.
4. Yes
Comment: Baseline characteristics were similar except that the control group had a lower
compliance score and lower use of lipid lowering and antiplatelet drugs.
B
1. Yes
Comment: For this study, we have limitation on blinding patients from knowing their group
allocation because there is a sharp contrast on the ways in treating both groups of patients
and we did not mask the difference by any means unlike placebo test. Upon phone calls,
patients will be indirectly informed of their assigned groups.
2. Yes
Comment: Blinding is not possible because the pharmacists are responsible for providing
counseling. They will know the grouping accordingly when they give phone calls.
3. Can’t tell
Comment: No information is provided by the journal
4. Yes
Comment: The mean follow-up period was 23.2 months and the result is statistically and
clinically significant, so the follow-up time period is sufficient.
5. Yes
Comment: The data collected from the entire enrolled study target including the defaulted
are analyzed.

A. After adjustment for confounders, telephone counseling was associated with a 41%
reduction in the risk of death. The number needed to treat to prevent one death at two
years was 16
B. With a two sided P value less than 0.05, the result was considered significant. The P
value is

A. Provided that the baseline condition of my patient and the study target are similar, we
can apply the counseling method in clinical practice.
B. Yes
Comment: The primary endpoint was the time from randomization to death from any
cause. Other endpoints included changes in the rate of admission to hospital, number of
emergency room visits, and hospital stay in the 2 years before and after the screening
visit, as well as changes in compliance.
C. There are no harms incurred on the patients since the method is maining based on
telephone counseling. There are no extra costs incurred by the patients, the cost is mainly
used by hiring pharmacists for telephone counseling and analysts