TY - JOUR KW - Humans KW - Double-Blind Method KW - Randomised Controlled Trials KW - Treatment Outcome KW - Single-Blind Method KW - Research Design KW - Risk Assessment KW - Time Factors KW - Reproducibility of Results KW - Evidence-Based Medicine KW - Comprehension KW - Random Allocation KW - Reading AU - Zoungas Sophia AU - Webster A. AU - Jun M. AU - Perkovic Vlado AB -

Proper evaluation of up-to-date clinical evidence is essential for the provision of optimal patient care. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the ideal study type to investigate the benefit or harm of an intervention, such as a drug therapy. RCTs aims to avoid biased assessment of clinical interventions through the even distribution of both known and unknown factors that may influence outcomes. However, not all RCTs are well designed, conducted or reported. As such, the clinician needs to critically appraise RCTs in order to determine their strengths and weaknesses. This paper aims to explain how to approach critical appraisal, by highlighting and illustrating important questions that help determine the reliability of results from randomized trials.

AD - The George Institute for International Health, The University of Sydney, PO Box 201, Missenden Road, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia. AN - 20470272 BT - Nephrology (Carlton) ET - 2010/05/18 LA - eng M1 - 2 N1 - Jun, MinZoungas, SophiaPerkovic, VladoWebster, Angela CResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tAustraliaNephrology (Carlton, Vic.)Nephrology (Carlton). 2010 Mar;15(2):153-7. N2 -

Proper evaluation of up-to-date clinical evidence is essential for the provision of optimal patient care. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the ideal study type to investigate the benefit or harm of an intervention, such as a drug therapy. RCTs aims to avoid biased assessment of clinical interventions through the even distribution of both known and unknown factors that may influence outcomes. However, not all RCTs are well designed, conducted or reported. As such, the clinician needs to critically appraise RCTs in order to determine their strengths and weaknesses. This paper aims to explain how to approach critical appraisal, by highlighting and illustrating important questions that help determine the reliability of results from randomized trials.

PY - 2010 SN - 1440-1797 (Electronic)1320-5358 (Linking) SP - 153 EP - 7 T2 - Nephrology (Carlton) TI - How to read a report of a randomized controlled trial VL - 15 ER -