No.7: Finding evidence-based clinical information
Drug-related queries
- MIMS (for prescribing information)
- RCH Paediatric Pharmacopoeia (use Clinicians Health Channel password for remote access. Contact the library for details.)
- Australian Medicines Handbook
- Relevant therapeutic guidelines (use the most recent edition)
- Micromedex
Systems
Clinical Evidence summarises the current state of knowledge and uncertainty about the prevention and treatment of clinical conditions, based on thorough searches and appraisal of the literature. Browse for relevant summaries, or construct a search statement.
Search examples:
- magnesium AND cerebral palsy
- asthma AND corticosteroid
- hypertension AND pregnancy AND antioxidant
- (deep vein thrombosis OR dvt OR venous thrombosis) AND stocking
Synopses
When no evidence-based information system exists for a clinical problem, synopses of individual studies and reviews are the next best source.
EBM Reviews - ACP Journal Club: includes ACP Journal Club and Evidence-Based Medicine. Consists of summaries, including value-added abstracts, of studies and reviews that warrant immediate attention. Search by keyword, and use truncation where appropriate.
Bandolier: an independent journal, by Oxford scientists, on evidence-based healthcare; a premier source of evidence-based healthcare information. Use the journal listing by subject to locate relevant articles.
See other journals consisting of synopses of studies and reviews.
Syntheses
When more detail is needed or no synopsis is available, search databases of systematic reviews (syntheses).
Cochrane Library databases: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, and NHS Economic Evaluation Database. See Fact Sheet no.5 for search tips.
Medline: select More limits to view Clinical Queries. Retrieval is restricted to clinically sound studies in nine categories.
Other sources:
- Index of CAT (Critically Appraised Topics) sheets by subject from the University of North Carolina.
- Evidence-based on-call from the Centre for evidence-based medicine, Oxford.
- National Guideline Clearinghouse, an initiative of the Agency of Healthcare Research & Quality, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
- Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters, free 30-day trial available.
- Trip database, indexing additional Guidelines, CATs, POEMs and more.
Studies
If none of the above cover your topic, try:
- Original studies:
- SumSearch covering Medline, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, and the National Guideline Clearinghouse.
- Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in the Cochrane Library.
- Bibliographic databases:
- Internet search engines: