Clinical Literature Interpretation Flashcards
7 cards from real BCACP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Clinical Literature Interpretation flashcards as text
A case-control study compares patients with type 2 diabetes (cases) to those without (controls) regarding past antipsychotic use. What is the most appropriate measure of association?
Answer: Odds ratio
Odds ratio is used in case-control studies because incidence rates cannot be directly calculated from this design.
Which pharmacoeconomic analysis determines the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained?
Answer: Cost-utility analysis
Cost-utility analysis incorporates patient preferences using QALYs to compare interventions.
A forest plot in a meta-analysis shows most study diamonds to the left of the line of no effect. This suggests:
Answer: The intervention reduces the outcome compared to control
In a forest plot, estimates to the left of the null line indicate the intervention favors reduction of the measured outcome.
An ambulatory care pharmacist evaluates a non-inferiority trial. What is the key element that defines whether non-inferiority was achieved?
Answer: The confidence interval for the treatment difference must not exceed the pre-specified non-inferiority margin
Non-inferiority is established when the upper confidence interval boundary does not cross the pre-defined non-inferiority margin.
Which type of study is most susceptible to recall bias?
Answer: Case-control study
Case-control studies rely on participants recalling past exposures, making them vulnerable to recall bias.
A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve with an AUC of 0.50 indicates:
Answer: The diagnostic test performs no better than chance
An AUC of 0.50 means the test cannot distinguish between patients with and without the condition better than random chance.
A pharmacist assessing external validity of a trial considers which of the following?
Answer: Whether the study population is representative of patients seen in the pharmacist's practice
External validity (generalizability) relates to how well the study population reflects real-world patients the clinician treats.