|
|
- A specific search will tend to find a smaller number
of articles more closely related to your search terms.
- A sensitive search will tend to find a larger number
of articles but many of these will be only peripherally related to
your search terms.
- There are essentially four categories of articles on
randomized trials you can search on:
- Etiology (or harm): Articles related to the cause
of a disease;
- Example: asbestosis and lung cancer
- Diagnosis: Articles related to the validity of
screening tests;
- Example: the CAGE questions to screen for alcoholism
- Therapy: Articles related to the efficacy of treatment;
- Prognosis: Articles related to the prediction of
outcome,
- Example: APACHE score that predicts the outcomes of critically
ill patients in the ICU
|
