This 2005 instructional article by Spindler et al. teaches orthopaedic surgeons how to systematically appraise the medical literature using evidence-based medicine principles. It addresses what study designs answer which clinical questions, how to identify bias, and how to interpret statistics — without reporting original research data.
When you read any orthopaedic study, first identify its level of evidence and study design before accepting the conclusion — a statistically significant result from a Level IV case series or a trial with <80% follow-up should not change your practice the same way a Level I RCT would.
Ask whether the difference found is not just statistically significant, but large enough to matter to your patient.
This 2005 instructional article by Spindler et al. teaches orthopaedic surgeons how to systematically appraise the medical literature using evidence-based medicine principles. It addresses what study designs answer which clinical questions, how to identify bias, and how to interpret statistics — without reporting original research data.
When you read any orthopaedic study, first identify its level of evidence and study design before accepting the conclusion — a statistically significant result from a Level IV case series or a trial with <80% follow-up should not change your practice the same way a Level I RCT would.
Ask whether the difference found is not just statistically significant, but large enough to matter to your patient.