Assignment 1

How to solve
From the previous assignment

• Choose ONLY the primary research papers.

• For those representing primary research, write the titles in the table below.
• In front of each title, write the full research question.
• Beside the research question, write the components of the research question.

The first two rows show 2 examples as illustration on how you should do this assignment.

Article title Research Question Components

Example A randomized Does high-dosage Population: Patients with early
1 clinical trial of high- coenzyme Q10 improves Parkinson Disease
dosage coenzyme the motor functions of Intervention: High-dosage
Q10 in early patients with early Coenzyme Q10
Parkinson disease: Parkinson’s Disease Comparator: Placebo
no evidence of compared to placebo? Outcome: Motor functions
benefit measured on the UPDRS-III
score
Example Thyroid Cancer and Does pesticide exposure Population: General population
2 Pesticide Use in a increase the risk of Indicator (risk factor): Pesticide
Central California thyroid cancer? exposure
Agricultural Area: A Outcome (event): Thyroid
Case Control Study Do individuals exposed cancer
to pesticides have higher
risk of developing
thyroid cancer compared
to those without
pesticide exposure?
(Better format)

1
Research Population: Individuals at high
Q1 risk for developing type 2
diabetes
Reduction in the Will lifestyle-
Intervention: Lifestyle
incidence of type 2 intervention program
intervention (i.e., dietary
diabetes with or the administration
changes, exercise, and weight
lifestyle of metformin prevent
loss) or treatment with
intervention or or delay the
metformin
metformin development of
Comparator: Placebo or
diabetes?
standard care
Outcome: Reduction in the
incidence of type 2 diabetes
Research Effect of
Population: Older adults
Q2 Levothyroxine
diagnosed with subclinical
Therapy on the
hypothyroidism.
Development of
Can levothyroxine Intervention: Randomization to
Depressive
affect the development either levothyroxine or placebo.
Symptoms in Older
of depressive Comparator: The control
Adults With
symptoms in older group, which may receive a
Subclinical
adults with subclinical placebo or standard care
Hypothyroidism:
hypothyroidism? Outcome: Depressive symptom
An Ancillary Study
scores after 12 months measured
of a Randomized
with the Geriatric Depression
Clinical Trial
Scale

Research Hypertension in Does an angiotensin Population: hemodialysis

Q3 hemodialysis converting enzyme- patients with echocardiographic
patients treated inhibitor-based left ventricular hypertrophy and
with atenolol or antihypertensive hypertension.
lisinopril: a therapy causes a Intervention: atenolol-based
randomized greater regression of antihypertensive therapy

2
 controlled trial left ventricular Comparator: lisinopril-based
hypertrophy than a β- antihypertensive therapy.
blocker-based Outcome: Change in left
antihypertensive ventricular mass index (LVMI)
therapy among from baseline to 12 months.
maintenance
hemodialysis patients
with
echocardiographic left
ventricular
hypertrophy and
hypertension?
Research Population: Children with acute
Paracetamol Is paracetamol
Q4 otitis media (AOM).
(acetaminophen) or (acetaminophen) or
Intervention: Paracetamol
non-steroidal anti- non-steroidal anti-
(acetaminophen) or non-
inflammatory inflammatory drugs
steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs, alone or (NSAIDs) effective in
drugs (NSAIDs).
combined, for pain relieving pain in
Comparator: Placebo.
relief in acute otitis children with acute
Outcome: Pain relief at 48
media in children otitis media (AOM)?
hours.
Research Population: newborns with
Q5 confirmed, highly probable or
Antibiotic possible congenital syphilis.
Is penicillin the
treatment for Intervention: penicillin
preferred treatment
newborns with treatment.
for newborns with
congenital syphilis Comparator: no intervention or
congenital syphilis?
any other antibiotic treatment.
Outcome: is effectiveness and
safety of antibiotic treatment.

3
How to solve
• Using the same research questions that you used in the previous assignment.
• For every research question, assign scores (out of 10) to each of the FINER domains.
• Use these scores to compare the suitability of these research questions.
• Based on this comparison, identify the first and the second-best research questions for
your team.

Remember that the best idea should be the most feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, and
relevant.

Comparison
Feasible? Interesting? Novel? Ethical? Relevant?

Research Q1 10/10 7/10 5/10 10/10 10/10

Research Q2 10/10 7/10 6/10 10/10 9/10

Research Q3 10/10 5/10 4/10 10/10 10/10

Research Q4 10/10 5/10 3/10 10/10 10/10

Research Q5 10/10 6/10 4/10 10/10 10/10

Conclusion
Effect of Levothyroxine Therapy on the Development of
Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults With Subclinical
First best research
Hypothyroidism: An Ancillary Study of a Randomized
question
Clinical Trial

Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle

Second best research
intervention or metformin
question