This paper is to reveal how the traditional practice is being challenged by evidence-based medicine and it also indicates where does the best evidence come from, how to find and classify them. This paper will also show the clinicians how to practice evidence-based medicine, especially in the treatment of respiratory disease in a step by step fashion. Finally this paper will guide the Chinese physicians how to solve the commonly confronting problems in practicing evidence-based medicine.
Objective To evaluate the published case-reports of evidence-based practice(EBP) over three years,and to improve the quality of the papers and provide a recommended writing model. Methods Collecting the published 20 case-report of EBP and assessing their writing quality in 5 aspects according to the steps of EBP. Results Many Abstracts did not reflect entire context, and convey the overall information to readers, a formative structured Abstract should be taken. Most case-reports only involved with therapy,few diagnostic,harm and prognostic case-reports were republished,few EBP of surgery and other specialties, such as ENT,ophthalmology were mentioned.Searching strategies were not sufficiently described.Most authors only search The Cochrane Library and PubMed,while predigested sources were seldom used.Critical appraisal of evidence was difficult to each author,most papers were lack of appraisal or simply evaluated the validity of used evidence,and applicability of evidence was not clearly explained.All the papers did not conduct post evaluation.Conclusions Much needs to be done in improving the quality of published case-reporters of EBP,a standardized writing model should be recommended.
To assess the efficacy and safety of thrombolytic therapy. Electronic search was applied to the Cochrane Airways Group register (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL standardized searches) with the date up to 2003 April. Hand searched respiratory journals and meeting abstracts. All randomized controlled trials comparing thrombolytic therapy with heparin alone or surgical intervention (eg. embolectomy) met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently selected trials, assessed trial quality and extracted the data.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of trimetazidine (TMZ) for chronic congestive heart failure. Methods We searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2006), MEDLINE (1990-2006), EMBASE (1990-2004), and the Chinese Biomedicine Database (1990- 2006 ) for parallel group randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cross-over design trials comparing TMZ and placebo or open controls for patients with heart failure.We used The Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 4.2 software for data analyses. Results Four RCTs and two cross-over design trials were included. Meta-analyses showed that: compared with the control group, TMZ may improve the NYHA cardiac functional grade (RR 0.85, 95%CI 0.76 to 0.95), increase the total exercise time (WMD 51.40 seconds, 95%CI 15.56 to 87.25), the maximal metabolic equivalents (WMD 0.82, 95%CI 0.28 to 1.37), and the ejection fraction (WMD 7.29%, 95%CI 6.28 to 8.31), but may decrease the left ventricular end-diastolic volume (WMD –12.19 ml, 95%CI –15.29 to –9.09), the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (WMD –6.05 mm, 95%CI –7.10 to –4.99), the left ventricular end-systolic volume (WMD –16.94 ml, 95%CI –20.34 to –13.55), the left ventricular end-systolic diameter (WMD –5.42 mm, 95%CI –5.98 to –4.86), and the serum brain natriuretic peptide (WMD –239.59 pg/ml, 95%CI –276.53 to –202.65). TMZ may also improve the quality of life (WMD 12.36, 95%CI 5.16 to 19.55). Conclusions TMZ plus standard medical therapy has a beneficial effect on the indices of cardiac function, and may also improve the patient’s quality of life. However, because available RCTs for this systematic review are too small and poor quality, (mainly focusing on the heart failure induced by ischemic heart diseases and merely taking intermediate indices as outcome measures), further high-quality large-scale RCTs with death as the endpoint and which include subgroup analysis of non-ischemic heart failure, are required in order to provide more reliable evidence.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of different doses of metoprolol in the treatment of primary hypertension.Methods We searched for randomized controlled trials of different doses of metoprolol in the treatment of primary hypertension. We screened relevant studies according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, evaluated the quality of the included studies, and performed meta-analyses by using The Cochrane Collaboration’s Revman 4.2.8 software. Results Five randomized controlled trials of different doses of metoprolol in the treatment of primary hypertension were included. Two were of high quality and the other three were of low quality. No study reported mortality or the incidence of cardiovascular events, but four studies reported the means and standard deviations of systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rate. Based on the two self-control studies, meta-analyses of the levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressures before and after treatment of different doses of metoprolol showed that the combined OR for systolic blood pressure levels was -4.62 [95%CI (-7.77, -1.47), P=0.004]; and for the diastolic blood pressure levels, the combined OR was -5.71 [95%CI (-6.75, -4.68), Plt;0.000 01]. Four studies reported adverse reactions, and meta-analysis of the incidence of non-specific adverse reactions showed that the combined OR was 2.61 [95%CI (1.33, 5.13), P=0.005]. Conclusion A dose-effect relationship may exist between the dose of metoprolol and antihypertensive effect in the treatment of hypertension. When the antihypertensive effect of low-dose metoprolol was inadequate, an increase in the dose may lower blood pressure further. Although high-dose metoprolol has higher incidence of adverse reactions, it can be tolerated by most patients. Therefore, in the treatment of hypertension with metoprolol, an individualized dosing regimen can be applied according to the patient’s tolerance, and blood pressure may be controlled ideally by a gradual increase of the metoprolol dose to its maximum tolerated dose.
Through searching and evaluating the evidence on advanced prostate cancer, we found that different types of androgen deprivation had similar effect, and immediate androgen deprivation had survival benefit. For the patient with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, therapies including mitoxantrone, prednisone, docetaxel and surmine were more effective. Strontium-89 provided more effective pain relief than external beam radiation. And bisphophonate had no effect. Antiandrogen withdrawal suggested prostate specific antigen would decline, but the clinical outcome wasn’t reported.
Objective To study the effectiveness, safety and tolerance of testosterone undecanoate （TU） in improving exhaustion and quality of life （QOL） of the elderly male patients with chronic disease in advanced stage. Methods Using a simple randomized controlled trial design, eighty patients were randomized into two groups. The treatment group took routine therapy and TU and the control group with routine therapy alone. Results 1. Baseline characteristics in both groups were similar. 2. The PADAM grade decreased, and the QOL scale increased in the treatment group （P〈0.05 ）. 3. Serum total testosterone in the treatment group rose, upper arm circumference and right hand grip improved （P〈0.05 ）. 4. There were no significant differences in adverse effects between both groups. Conclusions TU can improve the clinical health status in the elderly male patients with chronic disease in advanced stage and increase serum testosterone level, there is a satisfactory tolerances and few adverse reactions.
Objective To search and review the best clinical evidence to direct the use of ultrasound. Methods After developing clinical questions, we searched the following databases for evidence: PROQUEST (1984 to 2004), SUMSEARCH (1980 to 2004) and The Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2004). The key words were “repeated ultrasound exposure and children development (outcome)”. Results We found 3 systematic reviews, 3 randomized controlled trials, 1 cohort study and 1 case-control study. Most of the trials concluded that the effects of ultrasound to fetus were to be identified, some of the trials showed that ultrasound exposure could have an effect on fetus growth and language ability after delivery. Conclusions The pregnant women should avoid ultrasound as much as possible.
Prostate cancer is a common disease in the USA and Europe, with a gradually increasing incidence in China, and presents a significant health burden for older men. The lack of modifiable risk factors has made early detection as a strategy to reduce mortality. Current methods of screening involve the measurement of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination followed by biopsy. With PSA screening evidence of level I absent, the evidence on the use of PSA as a screening test is still highly controversial. Furthermore, there is controversy over whether screen-detected lesions will become clinically significant. There are three major treatment options for localized disease: radical prostatectomy, radical radiotherapy and monitoring with treatment if required. There is no evidence of randomized controlled trial (RCT) to suggest a survival advantage of any of these treatments. Opinions about the related benefits and risks of screening vary widely. In the absence of RCT of benefit for screening, many now suggest “informed consensus” screening, which encourages a discussion between the patient and his physician with both sides informed of all of the issues.
The number of clinical guidelines developed and published in different countries is increasing worldwide. Too many guidelines do not remain in regular use, even though the aim is to implement them in clinical practice. The scientific validity and reliability of the guidelines need to be reviewed. Here is a case presented to show how to optimally use the evidence-based guideline to improve clinical decision making.