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Research Facilitation<br />

Group<br />

<strong>Welcome</strong> to new<br />

members<br />

March 2011<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Content<br />

Aims of the group and your commitment<br />

What‟s in it for you?<br />

Group membership and professional background<br />

Useful web sites<br />

Example of Critically Appraised Topic<br />

Example of minutes of a typical meting<br />

Testimonials from group members<br />

Generating CAT questions: a proforma to encourage questions<br />

Top Tips on how to lead a CAT question<br />

The Next Steps<br />

Reflection on the CAT process<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Aims of the group and your commitment<br />

Our aim is to ensure that clinical practice is based on the best available<br />

evidence and encourage change in practice where necessary.<br />

The Research Facilitation Group is a group clinicians and clinical researchers<br />

that are interested in musculoskeletal disease. The professions represented<br />

are:<br />

Nursing<br />

Occupational Therapy<br />

Podiatry<br />

Physiotherapy<br />

Clinical Researchers<br />

Health Information Librarians<br />

Psychologists<br />

Therapy Managers<br />

The group is supported by Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre,<br />

<strong>University</strong> Hospital of North Staffordshire, Stoke PCT, North Staffs PCT and<br />

Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust.<br />

Our aims are to:<br />

Ensure clinical practice is evidence based and assist practice change<br />

where required<br />

Increase the research awareness of staff involved in managing patients<br />

with musculoskeletal disease<br />

Search the evidence for relevant up to date clinical recommendations<br />

and then feed this back to staff in clinical practice<br />

Identify gaps in the evidence<br />

Link with our academic partners to develop research proposals<br />

Increase our research awareness skills<br />

Publicise and communicate our results<br />

Your commitment<br />

The group meets four times a year at three monthly intervals. Meetings are<br />

held at Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, <strong>Keele</strong> <strong>University</strong> and last<br />

3 hours, normally 9-12. Coffee and refreshments are provided.<br />

You will be required to attend the meeting and commit to appraising articles in<br />

between the meetings. This would amount to no more than 2 hours per<br />

month. We would hope you would cascade useful information to your team<br />

within your own area of practice and highlight the work of the group. We<br />

would also ask that you canvas opinion on future questions that are important<br />

for us to answer<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


What’s in it for you<br />

Some of the benefits of being involved in such a group include:<br />

Supportive environment to answer important clinical questions<br />

Engage with a multi professional group who are interested in<br />

musculoskeletal disease<br />

Opportunities to engage with an established research unit<br />

Opportunity to learn about research methodology and research design<br />

from experienced researchers<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Group membership and professional background<br />

Caroline Amphlett Physiotherapist<br />

Kenneth Aaron<br />

Physiotherapist<br />

Hilary Bradbury<br />

Physiotherapist<br />

Robert Bradshaw-Hilditch Podiatrist<br />

Robert Bryan<br />

Clinical manager<br />

Linda Chesterton Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Jemma Cowen<br />

Systematic reviewer<br />

Carol Doyle<br />

Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Krysia Dziedzic<br />

Prof. of Musculoskeletal Therapies<br />

Sharron Edwards Podiatrist<br />

Carol Grahame<br />

Occupational Therapist<br />

Andrew Finney<br />

Nurse and researcher<br />

Deborah Fernyhough Occupational Therapist<br />

Nadine Foster<br />

Prof. of Musculoskeletal Health in Primary Care<br />

Noeleen Hellis<br />

Clinical manager and physiotherapist<br />

Jo Hill<br />

Occupational Therapist<br />

Mathew Hill<br />

Podiatrist<br />

Jonathan Hill<br />

Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Sue Hill<br />

Psychologist and researcher<br />

Lucy Huckfield<br />

Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Triana Larkin<br />

Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Rachel Lewis<br />

Health technology Librarian<br />

Liz mason<br />

Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Alison Morris<br />

Physiotherapist<br />

Sue Jackson<br />

Physiotherapist<br />

Jo Jordan<br />

Systematic Reviewer<br />

Kika Konstantinou Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Mark Porcheret<br />

General Practitioner<br />

Panos Sarigiovannis Physiotherapist and clinical manager<br />

Julie Shufflebotham Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Kay Stevenson<br />

Physiotherapist<br />

Gail Sowden<br />

Physiotherapist and researcher<br />

Cath Thwaites<br />

Nurse<br />

Amanda Walters Physiotherapist<br />

Elaine Wiltshire<br />

Physiotherapist<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Useful web sites<br />

Critical Skills Appraisal Programme<br />

http://www.phru.nhs.uk/Pages/PHD/CASP.htm<br />

CASP appraisal tools<br />

http://www.phru.nhs.uk/Pages/PHD/resources.htm<br />

McMaster <strong>University</strong> Evidence Based Practice Centre<br />

http://hiru.mcmaster.ca/epc/<br />

National library for Health<br />

http://www.library.nhs.uk/Default.aspx<br />

Clinical Knowledge Summaries<br />

http://cks.library.nhs.uk/home<br />

Pub Med<br />

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/<br />

<strong>University</strong> Hospital of North Staffordshire<br />

http://www.uhns.nhs.uk/home.aspx<br />

Haywood Hospital<br />

http://www.haywoodrheumatology.org.uk/<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Example of a Critically Appraised topic<br />

In adults with shoulder joint impingement is the intervention of stabilization<br />

exercises and/or postural correction versus any treatment or no intervention<br />

effective in reducing pain and increasing function?<br />

Clinical bottom line<br />

There was no evidence specific to scapula stabilization exercises, but the general<br />

summary of the literature searched was that an exercise programme was beneficial<br />

with the addition of manual therapy being more effective than exercises alone<br />

Population:<br />

Male and female adults<br />

Intervention:<br />

Scapula stabilization exercises / postural correction<br />

Outcome:<br />

Reduced pain and increased function<br />

Excluded:<br />

Diagnoses other than shoulder impingement syndrome<br />

Databases Searched: Cochrane, Pedro, NHS Library for Health, medline, Cinahl,<br />

Embase, Psyclnfo, Clinical Evidence, Bandolier, NELH, Professional websites,<br />

Guidelines, NICE<br />

Search for the past 10 years i.e. 1996 – 2006<br />

Key words searched:<br />

Shoulder impingement, shoulder impingement syndrome, subacromial impingement,<br />

shoulder pain, tendonitis rehabilitation, exercises, exercise therapy, physical therapy,<br />

physiotherapy, conservative treatment, postural exercises, scapular stabilization<br />

Types of studies<br />

Systematic reviews, RCT‟s and guidelines<br />

Available Evidence<br />

Database ( Specific to our CAT) Number of abstracts Number of relevant<br />

abstracts<br />

Clinical evidence<br />

0<br />

PsychInfo<br />

158 2<br />

AMED/ CINAHL/ Embase<br />

3 1<br />

PEDRO<br />

27 2<br />

Medline<br />

4 3<br />

Cochrane<br />

Guidelines 1 1<br />

Total 193 9<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Results:<br />

There were no studies directly assessing scapular stabilization / postural correction<br />

exercises. The main systematic review (Faber et al 2006) looked at the treatment of<br />

impingement syndrome. They found 94 articles, 3 of which studied exercise<br />

interventions (Brox 1999, Bang 2000, Ludewig 2003).<br />

These articles were reviewed in more detail – generally small sample sizes (eg. n=40<br />

per group), and some issues relating to blinding and validity of outcome measures.<br />

All studies presented a positive outcome for patients undergoing an exercise<br />

programme.<br />

The summary from the CSP shoulder guidelines (2004) on impingement syndrome<br />

recommend<br />

A programme of exercises to restore range, strength, stability and<br />

scapulohumeral rhythm is beneficial – based on weak evidence from clinical<br />

trials<br />

Passive mobilization of the upper quadrant augments the beneficial effects of<br />

exercise, reducing pain and increasing range, strength and function – based<br />

on weak evidence from clinical trials<br />

Scapula stability when performing strengthening exercises is „paramount‟<br />

based on clinical experience, opinion and committee reports<br />

Implications for practice:<br />

There is no evidence to suggest that inclusion of scapula stabilization exercises<br />

provide additional benefit to outcome for patients with shoulder impingement<br />

syndrome. However, an exercise programme that includes strengthening exercises<br />

+/- manual therapy is of benefit to patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.<br />

Further research question<br />

In adults with shoulder impingement syndrome, does the inclusion of scapular<br />

stabilisation/postural correction exercises provide additional benefit over a usual<br />

exercise programme in terms of pain relief and functional improvement?<br />

References:<br />

Bang and Deyle 2000 Comparison of supervised exercise with and without manual physical therapy<br />

for patients with shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS)<br />

J Ortho Sports & Phys Ther 30:3 126-137<br />

Brox et al 1999 Arthroscopic surgery versus supervised exercises in patients with rotator cuff disease (stage II SIS): A prospective<br />

randomized controlled study in 125 patients with a 2.5 year follow-up<br />

J Shoulder and Elbow Surgery 8: 2 102-111<br />

CSP 2004 evidence based clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment and physiotherapy management for<br />

shoulder impingement syndrome<br />

Desmeules F et al 2003 Therapeutic exercise and orthopedic manual therapy for impingement syndrome: a<br />

systematic review<br />

Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine May; 13(3):176-182<br />

Faber et al 2006 Treatment of impingement syndrome: a systematic review of the effects on functional limitations and<br />

return to work Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation Mar; 16(1):7-25<br />

Ludewig and Borstad 2003 Effects of a home exercise programme on shoulder pain and functional<br />

status in construction workers<br />

Occup Environ Med 60 841-849<br />

Michener et al 2004Effectiveness of rehabilitation for patients with Subacromial impingement syndrome: a systematic<br />

review<br />

Journal of Hand Therapy Apr-Jun; 17(2):152-164<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Example of minutes of a typical meeting<br />

Present<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group- 13 th January 2010<br />

Minutes<br />

Alison Morris, Kay Stevenson, Jo-ann Hill, Rachel Lewis, Lucy Huckfield, Nadine Foster,<br />

Mathew Hill, Liz Mason, Mathew Hill, Jonathan Hill, Jo Jordan<br />

Apologies<br />

Carol Graham, Sue Jackson, Gail Sowden, Duncan Kett, Julie Shufflebotham, Panos<br />

Sarigiovannis, Caroline Amphlett, Sue Hill, Jemma Cowen<br />

Review actions from last meeting<br />

Update new members pack and send to all<br />

Comments taken from group, now to go on web site<br />

Update the proforma to generate Qs<br />

Comments taken on proforma, distribute to all<br />

Comments on web site<br />

Update Cats according to table included<br />

See below<br />

KS<br />

KS<br />

KS<br />

All<br />

All<br />

<strong>Welcome</strong> to Lucy Huckfield. Lucy had a split post between the centre and Stoke PCT.<br />

There are to be 5 similar posts in local PCTs. Trina Larkin appointed to South Staffs<br />

post.<br />

Update on new web site<br />

http://www.keele.ac.uk/research/pchs/pcmrc/EBP/index.htm<br />

Photographs to be added.<br />

We all discussed how accessible the web site is Lucy kindly investigated this for us.<br />

Results are:<br />

Access the CAT site by using different words through google search engine. I used the<br />

following words/ phrases and this is what I came up with......<br />

1) CAT group <strong>Keele</strong> - This brought a link up that took you straight to the new MRF<br />

group website page on the CAT bank page (where the person is that you can click on to<br />

see the CAT for different areas). CAT group <strong>Keele</strong> was the top search link on google.<br />

2) <strong>Keele</strong> CAT group - was as number (1)<br />

3) CAT <strong>Keele</strong> - This was the third item on the google searched items list. The link<br />

took you to the <strong>Keele</strong> Primary Care Sciences website to the dissemination page with the<br />

list of the CATs<br />

4) <strong>Keele</strong> CAT - This was the second item on the google searched items list. This link<br />

took you to the dissemination page as in number (3).<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Training ideas/issues for next 4 meetings<br />

All<br />

13 th Jan-<br />

14 th April - Critical appraisal- homework to be sent to all<br />

14 th July - Statistics<br />

20 th Oct - Systematic reviews (Jo Jordan)<br />

Suggested future topics: observational studies, Cohort studies, Cost analysis<br />

Feedback from EBP group<br />

KD<br />

KD gave update on EBP group ( Krysia, Mark Porcheret, Jo Jordan and Kay Stevenson).<br />

Organised very successful event on NICE guidelines to promote debate. Next evening may<br />

well be on OA.<br />

Rhian and Kay met recently with local commissioners to outline the work of the centre and<br />

EBP groups. We discussed how we can integrate evidence into practice.<br />

Stoke PCT have a GRIP group- getting research into practice, KD involved with the group.<br />

Update on current CAT work- reviews<br />

CAT for review<br />

Is multidisciplinary management of chronic low<br />

back pain more effective in terms of reducing pain,<br />

improving function and increasing return to work<br />

compared with uni-disciplinary treatment.<br />

Is one off management versus a course of<br />

treatment more effective in terms of reducing pain<br />

and function for patients over 50 years old with<br />

osteoarthritis of the knee joint<br />

Examine the effectiveness of rehabilitation<br />

programmes in primary flexor tendon repairs<br />

following surgical reconstruction at 12 weeks and<br />

12 months in terms of pain, disability, function,<br />

return to work<br />

In adult humans with peripheral musculoskeletal<br />

injury (who have not had previous repair) is the<br />

length of time of sustained active or passive<br />

stretching more effective than other aspects of<br />

stretching for increasing return to work function and<br />

activity.<br />

Does appointment duration for musculoskeletal<br />

outpatient physiotherapy or occupational therapy in<br />

primary or secondary care settings, have an effect<br />

on managerial, clinical or patient outcomes<br />

Group<br />

Noeleen, Nadine, Jonathan<br />

Present at next meeting<br />

Krysia Kay Andrew<br />

No new evidence to add to<br />

existing CAT, updated Cat on web<br />

site<br />

Carol, Debbie and Jo<br />

Present at next meeting<br />

Linda and Richard<br />

Present at next meeting<br />

Carol and Kay<br />

No new evidence to add to existing<br />

CAT, updated Cat on web site<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Update on current CAT work<br />

CAT for review<br />

Access to healthcare practitioners<br />

Carol Jonathan, Panos, Carol, Krysia, Duncan,<br />

Carol, Andre, Sue<br />

GH joint capsulitis<br />

Caroline Nadine, Kay, Jemma<br />

Comment<br />

Completed, now on web site<br />

Completed now on website<br />

May be taken forward to the centre for<br />

funding application<br />

CAT and quick and dirty process came<br />

up with same answer.?? Should we<br />

write this up for publication?<br />

Therapists involved in requesting investigations<br />

Amanda, Kay Sue, Matt<br />

Is an exercise regime in addition to routine<br />

mobilisation / gait re-ed of improved benefit to<br />

function / QOL in post operative adult THR's?<br />

Jo Hill, Alison, KD and KS<br />

Whether a urinalysis that is positive with Nitrites<br />

and Leucocytes is sufficient evidence to not give a<br />

soft tissue/intra articular injection.<br />

Andrew Finney and the nursing group, Kyrsia,<br />

Jo<br />

TNS and the management of post op pain<br />

Alison and Linda<br />

Completed, now on website<br />

To be presented at next meeting<br />

To be presented at next meeting<br />

To be presented at next meeting<br />

Web site of interest identified by Nadine re self referal pilot projects<br />

> http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/Publica<br />

Feedback on quick and dirty searches<br />

o Shoulder capsulitis- as above<br />

o Multidisciplinary referral- not undertaken<br />

New questions from Clinicians<br />

CAT for review<br />

Use of Splint in neurologically compromised patient with<br />

ankle fractures ( Vick Terry)<br />

Weight bearing/ mobilisation on day 0 for patient with<br />

total hip or knee replacement ( Alison Morris)<br />

Group<br />

Lucy, Kay Caroline<br />

Alison, Jo Liz<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Does lack of sleep cause reduction in serotonin and can lack of serotonin have physical manifestations<br />

Corinna Dennison, Physiotherapist band 7,Burslem HC 425702 – Need clarification – Lucy to do this<br />

Feedback on shoulder and hand trial<br />

Shoulder trial at final protocol stage, hoping to go for ethics in March, recruiting in June. Will<br />

be undertaken at 2 main sites.<br />

Hand trial in last 6 months of the study. 85% follow up at 6 months, analysis to begin in the<br />

summer.<br />

Update on nursing link<br />

Andrew providing a clear lead for the nursing group, decided on question concerning joint<br />

injections and the value of urinalysis.<br />

AOB<br />

o<br />

o<br />

o<br />

o<br />

o<br />

Present work of the group to local ARMA group<br />

Discussed the need to provide patient friendly information, our information<br />

aimed primarily at clinical staff. Could ask the Research user group (RUG)<br />

group to look at existing Cats<br />

WCPT pre event training session- do we want to develop one?<br />

Gail and Jonathan leading local Outcome measures group. Have put together<br />

a proforma for those considering undertaking audit<br />

DUETS- data base of uncertainty of treatments, hosted by the James Lind<br />

alliance. WE could send out unanswered questions to this site. Funding<br />

bodies look at the site to inform call for research. Jo Jordan involved through<br />

the work of the arc. Could this be a link on our web site<br />

http://www.lindalliance.org/<br />

Actions for next meeting<br />

New members pack on web site<br />

KS<br />

Critical appraisal training sent info to all:<br />

BMJ article KS ( Sent 10/1/10)<br />

Ask Sue Hill re stats training on 14 th july KS<br />

Ask Jo Jordan re training on systematic<br />

reviews 20 th Oct<br />

KS<br />

e mail all local PCT staff re web site<br />

KS<br />

WCPT pre training event<br />

KS<br />

Ask RUG group to look at existing Cats KD<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Testimonials from group members<br />

“Being involved in the group has been a very positive experience. Initially I felt<br />

daunted at being the only OT and felt that I had very little knowledge in this<br />

area and had nothing to offer the group. The group environment is extremely<br />

supportive and my research knowledge and skills have grown, and I am still<br />

learning! I would recommend this type of group to colleagues and advise them<br />

to attend even if they are the only representative of their profession”<br />

“I used to think of evidence based practice as rather daunting. However<br />

membership on the group has helped me develop a systematic approach<br />

when reading research articles allowing me to appraise the methodology used<br />

and therefore the evidence for the conclusions drawn from said research”<br />

“Joining the CAT group was a career changing event. It made me sit up and<br />

take note of what was going on around me, outside of my day-to-day work. It<br />

made me question my routine practice. It has demystified research for me.<br />

Research was something that I had always thought was for those more<br />

intelligent than me. But appraising the evidence to inform practice should not<br />

just take place in the Universities it should be part of the routine day-to-day<br />

work of a physiotherapist. It makes work more interesting trying out new ideas<br />

and challenging old ones, rather than just repeating what I was taught 10<br />

years earlier.”<br />

“The CAT group has proved to be an excellent resource over the last few<br />

years. On occasion we have asked questions that have changed our practice<br />

within the UHNS. This process has been reassuring and rewarding. The vast<br />

scope of experience and professions within the group ensures a broad<br />

approach within the MSK field.”<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Generating Cat Questions - Proforma to encourage questions<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group<br />

Proforma to facilitate questions asked<br />

The aim of our Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group is to facilitate that our practice is<br />

based on the best quality evidence available. Questions arising in our practice need answers<br />

and if you want help finding out what the evidence says, this group exists to assist you.<br />

This document has been designed to help clinicians formulate detailed questions that will help<br />

our Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation group in their search for the evidence, using a tried<br />

and tested process. We anticipate the process will be used:<br />

by individual clinicians or groups to generate clinical questions<br />

to facilitative discussions in groups of staff at training or staff meetings<br />

to facilitate discussion between managers and clinicians on evidence based<br />

practice<br />

The aim of the process is to produce a clinical bottom line with a summary of the evidence for<br />

each question identified. We have produced 31 to date and our results to date can be found<br />

online at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/research/pchs/pcmrc/EBP/MRF/search/bank_full.htm<br />

Example of the types of questions that have been put to the group:<br />

Question examples<br />

Are shoulder exercises effective for treating<br />

shoulder pain?<br />

Does being overweight increase the risk of knee<br />

arthritis?<br />

How reliable is an MRI scan at detecting a<br />

lumbar disc herniation?<br />

How likely is that people over 50 will develop<br />

neck pain?<br />

How common is plantar fascitis?<br />

What are the barriers to lifestyle change such as<br />

increase activity levels<br />

Question types<br />

Intervention<br />

Aetiology and risk factors<br />

Diagnosis<br />

Prognosis and prediction<br />

Frequency and rate<br />

Phenomena and thoughts<br />

(Glasziou P, Mar C, Salisbury J 2007 Evidence Based Practice Workbook 2 nd Edition BMY Books Blackwell Publishing)<br />

We would welcome questions in any of the above categories. Please use the table<br />

below to help formulate any questions you have and send to any member of the<br />

Research Facilitation Group (or Chairperson Kay.stevenson@uhns.nhs.uk).<br />

We are happy to receive broad questions, but prefer it if you are able to give us slightly<br />

more detail if possible, by producing a „refined question‟.<br />

For example a general question might be:<br />

“Are stability exercises effective at treating patients with shoulder pain?”<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


To help you further refine your question and to assist group members undertaking the<br />

search we recommend the use of an evidence-based model for formulating a clinical<br />

question known as the PICO model (Richardson, 1995). By dividing your concepts into<br />

a few specific categories, you will provide the groundwork for developing the search<br />

strategy. The PICO model is particularly appropriate for intervention topics, but there are<br />

alternatives such as ECLIPSE model (Wildridge, 2002), which is expanded below. You<br />

may also prefer to adapt the PICO headings to fit the type of research question you are<br />

interested in.<br />

Patient/Population and/or Problem<br />

- any characteristics that define your patient or population, e.g. target clinical condition, coexisting<br />

condition, ethnicity, age group etc….<br />

Intervention/Investigation<br />

- what you want to do with the patient/population or problem e.g. form of treatment, diagnostic<br />

test, education programme, type of service delivery. This can also include any exposures<br />

(e.g. asbestos) or factors influencing prognosis.<br />

Comparison/Control Intervention<br />

- alternatives to the main intervention e.g. placebo, usual care etc….<br />

Outcomes or effects<br />

- any outcomes or effects relating to the intervention e.g. prevention, side effects, morbidity,<br />

quality of life, cost-effectiveness<br />

PICO Table (example question):<br />

Question type<br />

Population<br />

Intervention<br />

Comparison<br />

Outcome<br />

Provide details about the exact population,<br />

any comparison/ control groups &<br />

the outcomes you are interested in<br />

Adults with shoulder impingement tendonitis<br />

Shoulder stability exercises, scapular stabilization<br />

exercises, postural correction<br />

Normal care, routine physiotherapy<br />

Reduced shoulder pain, function<br />

An example of a “refined question” that would emerge from completing this PICO is:<br />

“In adults with shoulder joint impingement is the intervention of stabilization exercises<br />

and/or postural correction versus any treatment or no intervention effective in reducing<br />

pain and increasing function?”<br />

For questions that are not about treatments, you may wish to use the ECLIPSE model<br />

(Wildridge, 2002):<br />

Expectation – what does the search requester want the information for?<br />

Client group.<br />

Location.<br />

Impact – what is the change in the service, if any, which is being looked for? What<br />

would constitute success? How is this being measured?<br />

Professionals.<br />

Service – for which service are you looking for information? For example, outpatient<br />

services, nurse-led clinics, intermediate care.<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Some tips to help you ask a refined clinical question include:<br />

Define the type of question you think you are asking<br />

Determine who the relevant people are in relation to your clinical problem<br />

Agree which intervention or treatment you are wanting to find out about<br />

Decide if there is a particular diagnostic test you are interested in<br />

Detail what you‟d like to compare your intervention to; e.g. „usual care‟ or an<br />

alternative treatment or a control group<br />

Determine what outcomes you are most concerned about…. e.g., pain reduction,<br />

increased function or return to work<br />

Please bear in mind that this process will take a number of months to complete.<br />

Thanks again for your contribution.<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Proforma to complete (return to kay.stevenson@uhns.nhs.uk):<br />

Your name:<br />

Date:<br />

Contact details (email):<br />

Question type<br />

Patient/population/problem<br />

Provide details about the exact population,<br />

any comparison/ control groups &<br />

the outcomes you are interested in<br />

Intervention or<br />

Investigation or<br />

Procedure<br />

Comparison (if appropriate)<br />

Outcomes of interest<br />

Your refined question:<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Top Tips on how to lead a CAT Question<br />

If you are leading a CAT question, here are some key points that may<br />

help you:<br />

Ensure your group has formulated an answerable question that<br />

considers the population, intervention, comparison and outcome.<br />

Ensure that every member of the group has a clear role, one person<br />

may complete the proforma for the library search, one person may be<br />

responsible for organising e-mail contact and meetings<br />

Liaise with our librarian in order for the search to be done. This will<br />

require you to complete a form which gives the librarian more detail<br />

about the topic area you are interested in.<br />

Give yourself enough time to read through the abstracts, ask members<br />

of the group to assist. Don‟t get distracted by articles which interest<br />

you, the focus needs to be your question and does this research<br />

answer your specific question<br />

Look for the very best evidence, for interventions, this will be a<br />

systematic review.<br />

Decide on the key articles and then divide them between the group<br />

members, give everyone enough time to complete this task.<br />

Ask for assistance when you are formulating the CAT, other members<br />

of the group will be happy to help<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


The next steps<br />

A CAT is completed with a „clinical bottom line‟ and „recommendations for<br />

practice‟. There are many different ways of integrating this into practice. Some<br />

services used map of medicine Pathways, while others use clinical algorithms.<br />

It is advisable to have the information in as many different formats as<br />

possible, such as electronic versions, hard copy and available on web sites.<br />

The information that is produced by the CAT process can be disseminated as<br />

staff meetings, personal development reviews, e mails.<br />

Where there is no clear evidence to answer the clinical question, the group<br />

feeds this to the arc national Primary Care Centre, <strong>Keele</strong> Universality. The<br />

centre then decides if a full research protocol can be developed to answer the<br />

question. Two funded research projects have started in this way, they are:<br />

Interventions for hand arthritis<br />

Intervention for treating shoulder impingement<br />

Unanswered questions can also be forwarded to the James Lind alliance.<br />

“The James Lind Alliance aims to identify the most important gaps in<br />

knowledge about the effects of treatments, and has been established to bring<br />

patients and clinicians together in 'Priority Setting Partnerships' to identify and<br />

prioritize the unanswered questions that they agree are most important. This<br />

information will help ensure that those who fund health research are aware of<br />

what matters to patients and clinicians.”<br />

http://www.lindalliance.org/<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Reflection on the CAT process<br />

This section encourages you to reflect on the CAT process<br />

Describe your recent involvement in the CAT process<br />

What was the experience?<br />

What did you do?<br />

And why did you do this?<br />

What went well?<br />

What do you think could have been<br />

improved?<br />

What would you do differently next<br />

time?<br />

What did you learn from the experience?<br />

Any learning objectives generated?<br />

Reflection on incident and learning objectives<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson


Reference List<br />

Foster N Barlas P Chesterton L Wong J 2001 Critically Appraised Topics<br />

(CATS): One method of facilitating evidenced based practice in physiotherapy<br />

Physiotherapy 87 4 179-190<br />

Stevenson K, Bird L Sarigiovannis P Dziedzic K Foster NE Grahame C (2007)<br />

A new multidisciplinary Approach to integrating best evidence into<br />

musculoskeletal practice. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice (online<br />

early articles)<br />

Musculoskeletal Research Facilitation Group – <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Pack</strong> January 2011- Kay Stevenson

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