Table 2 The most frequently asked clinical questions’ types with examples from the included questions
Question Type | Description | No (%) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
2.2.1.1 Treatment Efficacy or indications of a treatment (but not limited to drug treatment) | How should I treat finding/condition y (given situation z)? What is the efficacy of treatment/procedure x (for condition y)? | 34 (16.7%) | What are the treatment options for a second therapy for H. pylori infection after a failure with Nexium Hp7? |
3.1.1.1 Management Management of a condition or finding (not specifying diagnostic or therapeutic management) | How should I manage condition/finding/situation y? What management options are there in situation y? | 28 (13.7%) | How should I manage ilioinguinal nerve entrapment? |
1.1.4.1 Diagnosis Cause or interpretation of unspecified or multiple clinical findings | Could this patient have condition y given these findings? What is the differential diagnosis of these findings? What is the likelihood that this patient has condition y given these findings? | 23 (11.3%) | Middle-age diabetic lady with osteoarthritis and chronic skin changes. She presented with a recent papules (non-itchy, rough, and translucent). No history of insect bites, new drugs. What is the differential diagnosis for her condition? |
2.1.2.1 Treatment Efficacy or indications of a drug or drug of choice | Is drug x indicated in situation y or for condition y? What are the indications for drug x? What is the drug of choice for condition y? | 16 (7.8%) | Is Liraglutide indicated in a female non-diabetic patient with BMI of 38? |
3.2.1.1 Management Practices of other providers | How do other providers manage condition y? Why did provider x treat the patient this way? | 11 (5.4%) | How many of you prescribe dietary modification as first line management of mild hypertension? If yes, do you give general or specific dietary advice? |
1.3.1.1 Diagnosis Indication or efficacy of a test (e.g. lab, imaging, physical exam) | Is test x indicated in situation y? What is the best test in situation y? | 10 (4.9%) | Is joint aspiration for every suspected case of recurrent gout is needed to confirm the diagnosis if considering long term urate-lowering therapy? |
1.3.3.1 Diagnosis Accuracy of a test (e.g. lab, imaging, physical exam) | How good is test x in situation y? What are the performance characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, etc.) of test x in situation y? | 8 (3.9%) | How good is Bone scan compared to CT scane in detecting a suspected stress fracture in the foot with a normal X-ray. |
2.1.3.1 Treatment Adverse effects of a treatment | Are these findings can be caused by a drug or adverse effects of drug? | 7 (3.4%) | A patients with rheumatoid arthritis on adalimumab, presented with a tendon rupture. Could this be a side effect of adalimumab? |
2.1.3.3 Treatment Contraindications of a treatment | What are the safety issues or contraindications of treatment x (includes pregnancy and breast feeding)? | 5 (2.5%) | Middle-age diabetic female patient on Metformin with mild microalbuminuria and normal creatinine. Is NSAIDs contraindicated in this patients due to renal complications? |
1.1.1.1 Diagnosis Cause or interpretation of specified clinical findings (e.g. symptoms) | What is the cause of symptom x? Could symptom x be condition y or be a result of condition y? | 5 (2.5%) | Asymptomatic middle-age lady presented with acute-onset of midline painless lump in the palate. What is the cause of this? Could be mucinous cyst? |