Absolute risk reduction

In clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine, the absolute risk reduction is a measure that compares the frequency of a clinical outcome in group of patients exposed to a factor compared to a control group of patients. This measure should be contrasted with the relative risk reduction.

Calculations

Two-by-two table for a randomized-controlled trial or cohort study

		Outcome
		Present	Absent
	Experimental group	Cell A	Cell B	Total in the experimental group
	Control group	Cell C	Cell D	Total in the control group
		Total with the outcome	Total without the outcome

${\mbox{Experimental event rate EER)}}=\left({\frac {\mbox{ Cell A}}{{\mbox{Total in the }}experimental{\mbox{ group}}}}\right)$

${\mbox{Control event rate (CER)}}=\left({\frac {\mbox{Cell C}}{{\mbox{Total in the }}control{\mbox{ group}}}}\right)$

${\mbox{Absolute risk reduction}}=\left({\mbox{CER - EER}}\right)$

See also

• Randomized controlled trial
• Number needed to treat
• Relative risk reduction