VM611 - Foundations of Veterinary Medicine

Components of an answerable clinical question*

Element

Tips

Specific example

Patient (population or problem)

Starting with your patient, ask "How would I describe a group of patients similar to mine?" Balance precision with brevity

"In canine patients older than 10 years of age with chronic renal failure attributable to glomerular nephritis . . ."

Intervention

Ask "Which main intervention am I considering?" Be specific

"...would the addition of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors to standard chronic renal therapy . . ."

Comparison of interventions

Ask "What is the main alternative to compare with the intervention?" Again, be specific

" . . .when compared with standard therapy alone . . "

Outcome

Ask "What can I hope to accomplish?" or "What could this exposure really affect?" Again, be specific

" . . . lead to increased survival time and quality of life"

* From: Robertson, S. R. (2007). Refining the clinical question: the first step in evidence-based veterinary medicine. Veterinary Clinics Of North America, Small Animal Practice, 37(3), 419-431. doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2007.01.002