Statistical Practice in Clinical Research
Compulsory Module
Tages-Anzeiger (Swiss newspaper) published on October 28, 2025 an article titled
“Sterblichkeit nach Schlaganfall sinkt auf die Hälfte” (Straumann, 2025), reporting on
the findings of Hänsel et al. (2025). Hänsel et al. (2025) present an updated stroke
epidemiology of Switzerland in which stroke events, mortality, and case fatalities are
taken into account. They show that despite an increase of stroke rates since 2004,
overall case fatalities rate and mortality rate have decreased by approximately 50%.
The data analysis and interpretation presented by Hänsel et al. (2025) are direct results
of a project from our compulsory module Statistical Practice in Clinical Research. This
module offers students insight into the statistical practice of a biostatistician and
bridges theoretical knowledge with a real project in a clinical research setting. Each
student works independently on their own project, supervised by a senior statistician
from the Department of Biostatistics and in collaboration with a clinical scientist.
Students not only learn how to analyze and interpret data, but also to set up a statistical
analysis plan and develop their communication and reporting skills.
Course Catalogue
References
Hänsel M, Mauch E, Micheloud C, Luft AR, Nedeltchev K, Arnold M, Wegener S (2025). Current trends in stroke events, mortality, and case fatality in Switzerland: an epidemiologic update. Int J Epidemiol. 2025 Jun 11;54(4):dyaf087. PMID: 40505608; PMCID: PMC12161988; doi: 10.1093/ije/dyaf087
Straumann, F. (2025, October 28). Sterblichkeit nach Schlaganfall sinkt auf die Hälfte. Tages-Anzeiger. https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/hirnschlag-sterblichkeit-in-der-schweiz-halbiert-655746012402