How do you read a Kaplan-Meier curve in a medical paper?
Short answer
Read the axes first, identify the event and groups, then look for when the curves separate, how long the difference persists, and how much censoring appears over time. A Kaplan-Meier curve is a visual summary of time-to-event data, not proof by itself that a treatment works.
Execution Steps
- 1Confirm what event the curve is measuring and which groups are being compared.
- 2Read the axes carefully, including the time scale and survival probability.
- 3Check where curves separate, overlap, or converge over time.
- 4Look for censoring marks, median survival, and whether the visual pattern matches the written result.
- 5Use LancetClaw if you want the curve, statistics, and text interpreted together.
Prompt Template
Explain this Kaplan-Meier curve in plain language. Tell me what it shows, what it does not prove, and what I should watch out for before citing it.
Common Failure Points
- Confusing visual separation with definitive proof
- Ignoring censoring or late sparse data
- Explaining the curve without reading the corresponding result text
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