CRITICAL APPRAISAL TEMPLATE: PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

(Observational)
Clinical Question
P-
I* -
C** -
O*** -
*Intervention could be a treatment, exposure, or presence of a factor
**If applicable, compared to those without the treatment, exposure, or factor
***Likelihood of adverse outcome attributable to the intervention

Citation

Guide Comments

I Are the results valid?

1 Was the cohort
representative of the
population? Was everyone
included who should have
been?
2 Were the methods for
determining exposure
objective and consistent
across the cohort? Were
the tools validated, where
applicable?
3 Were the methods for
determining outcome
objective and consistent
across the cohort? Were
the tools validated, where
applicable?
4 Were the subjects and/or
the outcome assessor
blinded to exposure?
5 Have all important
confounding factors been
identified and accounted for
in the design and/or
analysis?
6 Was follow-up of subjects
complete? and sufficiently
long?
II What were the results?
1 How strong is the
association between
exposure and outcome
(relative risk)? What is the
absolute risk reduction (risk
difference)?

2 How precise is the estimate

of risk (confidence
intervals)?

III How can I apply the results to my patient care?

1 Were the study patients
similar to my patient?

2 Is the exposure similar to

what might occur in my
patient?

3 Are there benefits that

offset the risks of the
exposure?

Summary & Conclusions