Evidence-Based Medicine: In Sherlock Holmes' Footsteps

INTRODUCTION.

STEP 1 FORMULATE AN ANSWERABLE QUESTION.

Information Sources.

Choosing the Appropriate Database.

Systematic Reviews/Meta-Analysis.

Meta-Search Engines.

Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Critically Appraised Topics (CATs).

Primary Information Sources.

Library Resources.

Other EBM Portals.

STEP 2 INFORMATION SEARCH.

Make a Wide Search with High Sensitivity.

Principal Database Search Strategy.

Limit Your Search Results/Increase Your Specificity.

Use a Good Hit for Further Searches.

STEP 3 REVIEW OF INFORMATION AND CRITICAL APPRAISAL.

Quality Assessment of Information.

Evaluation of the Scientific Quality.

Quality of Evidence.

STEP 4 EMPLOY THE RESULTS IN YOUR DAILY PRACTICE.

Applicability.

Balance between Benefit and Harm.

Strength of Recommendation.

Patient’s Perceptions.

Make a Recommendation.

Communicating the Evidence to Your Patient.

DEDUCTION, ANALYSIS AND MEDICINE.

REFERENCES.

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION SOURCES AND SEARCH ENGINES.

INTERNET-BASED SPREADSHEETS.

SHERLOCK HOLMES REFERENCES.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

RECOMMENDED EBM LITERATURE.

GLOSSARY.

INDEX