Interpreting Medical Research

Categories of Studies:
Experiments Maneuver is performed in controlled surroundings (e.g., a laboratory) Surveys Something measured (typically a risk factor or predictor of disease) in a sample group of individuals Clinical Trials Intervention (such as a drug treatment) offered to a group of patients and compared to a control group

Study Design Types:

Randomi ed Controlled Trials Participants randomly assigned to one intervention or another (typically drug intervention vs. placebo). Both groups follo ed for a specified period and outcomes compared. Sometimes randomi!ation not possible due to ethical concerns. Crossover Trial Participants act as their o n "controls,# i.e., they receive the intervention, and then later a control or placebo treatment and their reactions to both treatments are compared. Cohort Study $roup(s) of people follo ed over time to see ho develops disease (or among patients ith a disease, hat the prognosis of that illness is). %ime period is usually years or even decades long. Case Control Study &etrospective study of patients ith a disease compared to people ithout that disease to determine risk factors. Cross!Sectional Study ' "snapshot# epidemiological survey of a given population. Case Series (escription of characteristics of group of patients ith a particular condition or ho have undergone a specific treatment. )ase reports and case series often used to report adverse effects of treatment. Secondary Research Systematic revie s, meta*analyses. %hese types of research reports summari!e primary studies and, in the case of meta*analysis, combine and integrate the results of more than one study.

"eer Revie#:
"eer Revie#ers +,perts in a particular area of medicine. Revie# "anel )hosen by refereed -ournal to go over submitted research articles prior to publication (or re-ection). "eer Revie#ed $rticles )onsidered more credible than non*peer*revie ed.