{"podcast":{"title":"Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics","slug":"normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156","podcast_index_feed_id":7212156,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/normal-curves","website_url":"https://www.normalcurves.com/","image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/3nh-QbnGiyC0kG4tQRWb4fTYyDh5wonK_KZjqlkFNSY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hYmEw/YmE3N2JmMDhmNjli/YTg2MjhlOTQ0OGU4/Yzg2OC5wbmc.jpg","author":"Regina Nuzzo","episode_count":38,"summary":"Normal Curves is a podcast about sexy science & serious statistics. Ever try to make sense of a scientific study and the numbers behind it? Listen in to a lively conversation between two stats-savvy friends who break it all down with humor and clarity. Professors Regina Nuzzo of Gallaudet University and Kristin Sainani of Stanford University discuss academic papers journal club-style — except with more fun, less jargon, and some irreverent, PG-13 content sprinkled in. Join Kristin and Regina as they dissect the data, challenge the claims, and arm you with tools to assess scientific studies on your own.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-30T00:19:09.554623+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156"},"episode":{"title":"Coffee and the Heart: Is caffeine a trigger for AFib?","slug":"coffee-and-the-heart-is-caffeine-a-trigger-for-afib","published_at":"2026-05-18T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156/coffee-and-the-heart-is-caffeine-a-trigger-for-afib","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156","url":"https://www.normalcurves.com/coffee-and-the-heart-is-caffeine-a-trigger-for-afib/","audio_url":"https://op3.dev/e/media.transistor.fm/9d79dd16/2ca90436.mp3","summary":"Does coffee trigger atrial fibrillation — or have doctors been warning people away from caffeine without strong evidence? We dig into two recent randomized clinical trials testing whether caffeinated coffee causes dangerous heart rhythm problems. Along the way, we talk about AFib, survival analysis, intention-to-treat versus as-treated analyses, and one surprisingly elaborate effort to catch clinical trial cheaters with receipts and geolocation tracking. We also explore how a pope may have fueled a European coffee resurgence, why plants make caffeine, and how a game show competition explains hazard ratios. Statistical topics adherence and compliance as-treated analysis confidence intervals Cox proportional hazards regression hazard ratios intention-to-treat analysis micro-randomization multiple testing PICOT pre-registration primary vs secondary outcomes randomized clinical trials sensitivity analyses SMART framework survival analysis Methodological morals “Never trust conventional wisdom until you see the randomized controlled trial.” “Trust your participants, but design the study so that they can be honest about their dishonesty.” References Harrington D, D'Agostino RB Sr, Gatsonis C, et al. New Guidelines for Statistical Reporting in the Journal . N Engl J Med . 2019;381(3):285-286. doi:10.1056/NEJMe1906559 Marcus GM, Rosenthal DG, Nah G, et al. Acute Effects of Coffee Consumption on Health among Ambulatory Adults. N Engl J Med . 2023;388(12):1092-1100. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2204737 Wong CX, Cheung CC, Montenegro G, et al. Caffeinated Coffee Consumption or Abstinence to Reduce Atrial Fibrillation: The DECAF Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA . 2026;335(4):317-325. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.21056 @MarcKatzMD’s short video The Pitt- atrial fibrillation cardioversion scene Kristi…","meta_description":"Does coffee trigger atrial fibrillation — or have doctors been warning people away from caffeine without strong evidence? We dig into two recent randomize…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3409,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156/episodes/coffee-and-the-heart-is-caffeine-a-trigger-for-afib/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156/coffee-and-the-heart-is-caffeine-a-trigger-for-afib.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}