EBM SEARCH-evidence-based medicine search

Example

Query: Do GLP-1 receptor agonists compared with metformin monotherapy improve weight outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes? EBM SEARCH converts this to PICO (Population adults with T2D, Intervention GLP-1 RA, Comparator metformin, Outcomes weight change and A1c, Study types RCTs and meta-analyses). It proposes synonyms and MeSH (e.g., Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Metformin), shows Boolean logic without unnecessary quotes, adds filters (humans, adults, last 5 years for currency), and produces ready-to-click PubMed URLs for broad and focused sets. It also suggests how to extend to Cochrane Library or guideline repositories if desired.

Scenario

Time-pressured clinician needs a 5-minute quick search before a case conference; EBM SEARCH returns a small set of high-yield links, a brief synthesis of top studies, and notes on applicability to primary care versus specialty settings.

Example

For a new randomized trial on low-dose colchicine post-MI, EBM SEARCH explains design and setting, calculates or interprets absolute risk reduction, NNT, confidence intervals, and hazard ratios, comments on randomization, allocation concealment, and blinding (Cochrane RoB 2 domains), and compares results with prior meta-analyses. For diagnostic questions, it walks through sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, pretest to posttest probability, and common pitfalls like spectrum bias and verification bias (using QUADAS-2). For observational harm or etiology questions, it flags confounding, selection bias, and tools such as Newcastle-Ottawa.

Scenario

Journal club preparation where residents must defend whether a statistically significant result is clinically meaningful; EBM SEARCH produces a one-page summary: structured abstract, forest-plot style interpretation in words, key limitations, applicability to the local population, and a bottom-line statement with GRADE certainty.

Example

After you provide keywords such as aspirin stroke, EBM SEARCH can ask whether you want the 10 PubMed Clinical Queries links (Therapy, Diagnosis, Prognosis, Etiology, Clinical prediction guides × Broad and Narrow scopes). If you confirm, it returns the 10 distinct URLs in the exact format so any team member can reopen the same filtered views later. It can also craft PubMed Similar Articles links starting from a key seed paper and provide variations of the search (e.g., pediatric vs adult filters, language limits) while explaining trade-offs in sensitivity versus specificity.

Scenario

A multidisciplinary guideline team needs a transparent, repeatable search record for audit and future updates; EBM SEARCH outputs the search logic, the generated URLs, notes on why filters were chosen, and a brief plan for quarterly surveillance so updates can be reproduced consistently.