Evidence-Based Medicine

This lively handbook on the fundamentals of Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) leads the reader, step by step, through a process that proceeds from a patient’s medical history, via information searches and critical appraisal of the literature, to recommendations for treatment. Using a simple four-step approach, the author illustrates how to develop better questions and more effective searches, resulting in objective and clinically relevant information that can be evaluated and implemented in day-to-day practice. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, the famous fictional detectives, assist throughout, drawing parallels between criminal and medical investigation, and simplifying the processes and themes of EBM. Evidence-Based Medicine in Sherlock Holmes’ Footsteps is a concise, accessible and instructive introduction to EBM for medical students, health care trainees, doctors and allied health professionals, and a valuable resource for anyone wanting to improve their ability to search, access and interpret the wealth of information at the fingertips of today’s medical community.

FOREWORD. 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