Use of L'Abbé and pooled calibration plots to assess the relationship between severity of illness and effectiveness in studies of corticosteroids for severe sepsis

The pooled calibration plot suggested that there were excessive deaths in the placebo groups of some RCTs that could explain the apparent benefit of corticosteroids on mortality of patients with severe sepsis. L'Abbé and pooled calibration plots might be useful as adjuncts to assess interactions between severity of illness and effectiveness of an intervention.