Are the results Valid?
- Was this an appropriate study design to answer the research question?
- Did it measure what it intended to measure?
- Did the study have enough power to detect a significant result?
- Did they include intention to treat?
What are the results?
What re the results in terms of:
- Magnitude: e.g. overall results do they report NNT RRR etc
- Significance: are they statically and clinically significant?
- Do they report CIs and P values?
Are they generalisable to my situation or your title (same thing)
- Is the intervention feasible in my situation?
- Could we afford the intervention?
Hierarchy of Evidence
- Category I: Evidence from at least one properly randomized controlled trial.
- Category II-1: Evidence from well-designed controlled trials without randomization.
- Category II-2: Evidence from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies, preferably from more than one center or research group.
- Category II-3: Evidence from multiple times series with or without intervention or dramatic results in uncontrolled experiments such as the results of the introduction of penicillin treatment in the 1940s.
- Category III: Opinions of respected authorities, based on clinical experience, descriptive studies and case reports, or reports of expert committees.
Related Links
Last updated on: 28 / 03 / 2011