Overview
Start Module Featured Article
Brunkhorst FM, Engel C, Bloos F, et al; Intensive Insulin Therapy and Pentastarch Resuscitation in Severe Sepsis. N Engl J Med 2008;358:125-39
Expert Reviews
Methodological Reviewer
Prosanto Chaudhury MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS, Department of Surgery, McGill University
Clinical Reviewer
Lena Napolitano MD, Department of Surgery, University of MichiganSupplementary Article
Added Reading Appendix re methodology: Brunkhorst FM, Engel C, Bloos F, et al. Intensive insulin therapy and pentastarch resuscitation in severe sepsis. N Engl J Med 2008;358:125-39.
Guyatt GH, Sackett DL, Cook DJ, for the Evidence Based Medicine Working Group. Users’ Guides to the Medical Literature. II. How to Use an Article about Therapy or Prevention. JAMA 1993 Dec 1; 270(21): 2598-2601
Guyatt GH, Sackett DL, Cook DJ, for the Evidence Based Medicine Working Group. Users’ Guides to the Medical Literature. II. How to Use an Article about Therapy or Prevention. JAMA 1994 Jan 5; 271(1): 59-63
Questions
- What is the clinical question being addressed?
- Was the assignment of patients to treatment randomized?
- Were all patients who entered the trial properly accounted for and attributed at its conclusions?
- Were patients, their clinicians and study personnel “blind” to treatment?
- Were the groups similar at the start of the trial?
- Aside from the experimental intervention, were the groups treated equally?
- How large and precise was the treatment effect?
- Can the results be applied to my patient care?
- Were all clinically important outcomes considered?
- Are the likely treatment benefits worth the potential harm and costs?
- State the conclusion. Have the authors addressed the question posed?
- Does the evidence support the conclusion?