We invite authors to submit manuscripts for the Critically Appraised Topics (CATs) feature. CATs appear quarterly in the Evidence-Based Dermatology section.
CATs are written summaries of the application of the practice of evidence-based medicine to specific clinical problems. The problem is translated into an answerable, 4-part, well-structured question; the best evidence to answer the question is identified; the evidence is critically appraised for its validity, magnitude, and precision; and the evidence is applied back to the patients. Essentially, CATs are mini–systematic reviews of narrow, patient-focused questions that are not easy to find in a textbook. For example, after a clinical encounter, a patient-oriented question might be formulated, which would then be followed by a search for relevant high-quality information to answer that question. The identified studies will be briefly and critically appraised, then applied back to the patient along with the commentary.
CATs should be no longer than 2 published pages, with a maximum 20 references. The title may be a question. The manuscript should contain the following headings within the text: Clinical Question, Background, Literature Search, Appraisal of the Evidence, Limitations of the CAT, Clinical Bottom Line, and What Happened to the Patient.
Instructions for authors are located at http://www.archdermatol.com. Completed manuscripts are submitted at http://manuscripts.archdermatol.com. We look forward to reviewing your submissions.