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Hello! That's very good question. I think the NNTs of 2-4 are for therapeutic usage of drugs,and the NNTs over 20 are for preventitive usage of drugs. i.e. for acute condition,NNTs of 2-4:for chronic condition,NNTs of over 20. > A question I have , is what is a good number for NNT? Bandolier 12 >indicated that a NNT of 2-4 is suggestive of good NNT ( i.e., ARR of >0.25-0.50). However most the the RCT reported in journal s NEJM, Annals >etc have statistical significance however their NNT are usually over 20, >ie, finasteride for BPH( NNT= 30). I reckon one of the disadvantages of >NNT maybe that despite the NNT being over 20 , these patients may have >significant improvement in quality of life and other subjective issues. >Or is the fact that NNT of 2-4 an over enthusiastic expectation when it >comes to a clinical response.I guess in the case of chronic diseases >with outcomes occurring over decades a NNT of 50 would be acceptable, >however in other more acute conditions one would consider a smaller >number for NNT as desirable. Could the members throw some additional >light in the defining what is a good number for NNT. ********************************************** Saio,Takeo ///////////////CHIAKI hospital,JAPAN///////// e-mail;[log in to unmask] ********************************************** %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%