As you compose your question, please keep in mind that the most relevant information is uncovered when clinical questions are well formulated. To that end, we request, whenever possible, that you submit a question in PICO format.

P- Patient or Population:
How would you describe the patient/population about whom/which you have a question? Demographics such as age and gender are important, as is the condition which you are researching.
I- Intervention
What medication, therapy, diagnostic test, prognostic factor are you specifically interested in?
C-Comparison
Are you comparing your proposed intervention to a placebo or control? Are you comparing it with a known gold standard?
O-Outcome
What outcome are you interested in? Complete resolution of symptoms? Adverse effects? Mortality? In the case of a diagnostic test—accuracy in diagnosing condition?  Accuracy in predicting prognosis?

Examples of well-formulated questions:

1. In individuals ≥75 years of age with lone atrial fibrillation, does prophylactic treatment with warfarin prevent more strokes than no treatment?

P	Persons ≥ 75 years of age with lone atrial fibrillation
I	Treatment with warfarin
C	No treatment
O	Stroke prevention

 2. In patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis, is impedance plethysmography  plus a d-dimer test as accurate as contrast venography for correctly diagnosing the condition?

P	Patients with suspected DVT
I	Impedance plethysmography plus d-dimer test
C	Contrast Venography
O	Accurate diagnosis of DVT

 

Thank you for your question!