title: How to critically appraise the clinical literature.
abstract: Recent efforts have been made to standardize the critical appraisal of clinical health care research. In this article, critical appraisal of diagnostic test accuracy studies, screening studies, therapeutic studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, cost-effectiveness studies, recommendations and/or guidelines, and medical education studies is discussed as are the available instruments to appraise the literature. By having standard appraisal instruments, these studies can be appraised more easily for completeness, bias, and applicability for implementation. Appraisal requires a different set of instruments, each designed for the individual type of research. We also hope that this article can be used in academic programs to educate the faculty and trainees of the available resources to improve critical appraisal of health research.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Electronic address: pcronin@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia; Department of Imaging, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia.
authors.forename: James V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Rawson
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Marta E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Heilbrun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Janie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
authors.forename: Aine M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Pina C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sanelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Bresnahan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Angelisa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paladin
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004501:Education, Medical; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D011642:Publications / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Appraisal; cost-effectiveness assessments; diagnostic test accuracy; guidelines; medical education; recommendations; screening; systematic review and meta-analysis; therapy