composite endpoint
A primary outcome measure that combines multiple related clinical events into a single endpoint to increase statistical power and capture overall treatment benefit.
Full Definition
Composite endpoints are commonly used in cardiovascular clinical trials to combine clinically related events such as cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke into a single primary outcome measure. This approach increases the number of events observed during the study period, thereby improving statistical power and reducing required sample sizes. However, composite endpoints require careful construction to ensure that component events are of similar clinical importance and that treatment effects are consistent across components. The most widely used composite endpoint in cardiovascular research is Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE), though specific definitions vary between studies.
Usage
Usage note: Avoid redundant phrasing like 'composite primary endpoint' when the endpoint nature is clear from context.
In Context
- "The composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke occurred in 8.2% of patients." — Results reporting
- "Individual components of the composite endpoint were analyzed separately to ensure consistency of treatment effect." — Statistical analysis plan