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The following message was posted to: PharmPK
Hello,
I would like to present graphically measured levels of a biomarker in
the blood along with the treatment a patient has received. The
resulting graph has to be suitable for a scientific publication.
We are measuring the levels of a clinical marker in the blood during
a period of time. During this period of time, the patient is given
different doses of a drug. I want to show the dynamics of the
biomarker together with the treatment course. One option is shown on
pane A of the following figure:
http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=datapresentationai8.png
Using this option we plot the biomarker on the left Y axis and the
drug doses (as a bar plot) using the Y axis.
Another option (pane B, the same figure) is to use only one Y axis and
to mark the doses using arrow below the X axis.
Which option is more "readable" and intuitive? Are there any better
ways to present such an information?
Several clarifications:
* Measurement dates and drug administration dates do not always overlap.
* Reporting a total dose doesn't deliver the information I want to
show, since the time relationship between drug delivery and biomarker
changes is crucial
* It is very important to show the actual biomarker levels and not
relative changes etc, since their absolute values are very important
for the clinicians
Thanks a lot,
Boris
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The following message was posted to: PharmPK
Boris,
I would prefer panel A rather than panel B since panel A provides an
immediate visual indication of the dosage of the drug employed as a
function of time. Visual indicators of this sort are far easier for the
reader or viewer to interpret than an array of numbers below the
horizontal axis: a simple display of the numbers as in panel B delays
the
viewer's/reader's appreciation of the apparent correlation, or lack
thereof, between the drug dosage and the biomarker. The visual impact of
the various numbers is minimized as the viewer/reader has to actually
read
the numbers in order to differentiate among them. Hence the delay in
recognition of the relationship.
Nonetheless, I would augment the Figure in panel A to include the
numeric
value of the dose, in slightly smaller point type than that used in
labeling the x- and y-axes, simply because that further reinforces one's
ability to appreciate the impact, or lack thereof, of the data, as the
numeric scale on the right-hand side of the figure is located at some
distance from the verticals.
Lawrence H. Block, Ph.D.
Div. Pharmaceutical Sciences
Duquesne University
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The following message was posted to: PharmPK
Just my personal opinion, but I like the arrow option. I think they
would be clearer placed above the graph, rather than below the X-axis,
though. Annotate the arrows above the graph, so numbers are clearly
distinct from the time course of X-axis.
Mary
Most definitely just my opinion and not the policy of my employer....;-)
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Hi,Boris,
Why not try to plot your data in a 3D axis system?
X-axis:time
Y-axis:dose level
Z-axis: levels of a clinical marker
Hope this will work.
zhigang
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