Evidence Based Medicine IV: how to find an evidence-based answer to a clinical question? Make a critically appraised topic!

ABSTRACT

This manuscript is the fourth in a five part series related to evidence based medicine (EBM) provided by the European society of pediatric urology (ESPU) research committee. It will present a way to come to a quick and critical appraisal of available evidence on a specific topic a CAT (critically appraised topic). The way how to write a cat is described for interventions to be compared to a control group, and for other, more generalized clinical questions. While systematic reviews provide a throughout overview of all evidence available, a CAT provides a shorter way to come to quick insights based on EBM.