PRACTICAL TIPS FOR SURGICAL RESEARCH
Research questions, hypotheses and objectives
Patricia Farrugia, BScN* Bradley A. Petrisor, MSc, MD† Forough Farrokhyar, MPhil, PhD‡§ Mohit Bhandari, MD, MSc†§
From the *Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, the †Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Departments of ‡Surgery and §Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. Accepted for publication Jan. 27, 2009 Correspondance to: Dr. M. Bhandari 293 Wellington St. N, Ste. 110 Division of Orthopaedic Surgery McMaster University Hamilton ON L8L 2X2 bhandam@mcmaster.ca
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here is an increasing familiarity with the principles of evidence-based medicine in the surgical community. As surgeons become more aware of the hierarchy of evidence, grades of recommendations and the principles of critical appraisal, they develop an increasing familiarity with research design. Surgeons and clinicians are looking more and more to the literature and clinical trials to guide their practice; as such, it is becoming a responsibility of the clinical research community to attempt to answer questions that are not only well thought out but also clinically relevant. The development of the research question, including a supportive hypothesis and …show more content…
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for chronic patellar tendinopathy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Rheumatology 2008;47:467-71. Research question: How does low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) compare with a placebo device in managing the symptoms of skeletally mature patients with patellar tendinopathy? Research hypothesis: Pain levels are reduced in patients who receive daily active-LIPUS (treatment) for 12 weeks compared with individuals who receive inactive-LIPUS (placebo). Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of LIPUS in the management of patellar tendinopathy