Module 3 Finding the Evidence: Pre-appraised Literature
EBM Literature: Reviews Individual Studies: Experimental Level of evidence Individual Studies: Observational Evidence hierarchy Randomized control trials (RCTs) Controlled trials w/o randomization Cohort studies Case control studies/retrospective cohort Case studies/qualitative studies Meta analyses Systematic reviews
Address a single clinical question Locate and validate all trials/studies relevant to the question (inclusion and exclusion criteria) Should include an explicit literature search Draw a conclusion, if possible, based on multiple studies Meta-analyses Systematic reviews taken 1 step further Look for studies where the data can be combined large study End product is often displayed in a graphical format (forest plot) Review literature
, , # published per year 15, Growth of reviews
Finding worthy reviews
DARE DARE (CRD) commentary for: Gaster B, Holroyd J. St John's Wort for depression: a systematic review. Archives of Internal Medicine 2000; 160(2):
Finding worthy reviews
ACP Journal Club
Finding worthy reviews
Clinical Evidence
Finding any reviews
FocusSpecific Questions Question Is the specific purpose of the review stated? Is the review question clearly and explicitly stated? Literature Search Were comprehensive search methods used to locate studies? Was a thorough search conducted using appropriate databases? Were other potentially important sources explored? Study Selection What types of studies are reviewed? Are they the same type? How many participants in the review? Critical Appraisal Was the validity of included studies assessed? Are the validity criteria reported? Are the inclusion criteria reported? Similarity of Groups & Treatments Are treatments similar enough to combine? Were reasons for any differences between individual studies explored? Data Synthesis Were findings from individual studies combined appropriately? Are the methods used to combine studies reported? Are the results consistent across studies? Appraising reviews
Linde K, et al St John's wort for depression: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Psychiatry 186:99-107British Journal of Psychiatry 186: An example
Still many interventions not covered by SRs The Cochrane Database is good example of this: approximately 10-15,000 Cochrane reviews are needed to cover interventions that have been investigated in clinical trials. After 18 years <50% have been published (completion is est. ~30 years). Need constant upkeep Half will need to be updated each year Most take 6-12 months to be developed and published Keep in mind
Module 3 Finding the Evidence: Pre-appraised Literature