FACEM Research and Innovation 2 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: A researcher wants to measure the diagnostic accuracy of a new bedside test. Which study design is most appropriate?
- Randomized controlled trial
- Cross-sectional study with a reference standard (Correct answer)
- Case-control study
- Cohort study
Correct answer: Cross-sectional study with a reference standard
Diagnostic accuracy studies use a cross-sectional design comparing the index test to a reference standard in the same population.
Question 2: Which statistical measure best describes the spread of a non-normally distributed dataset?
- Mean and standard deviation
- Median and interquartile range (Correct answer)
- Mode and variance
- Geometric mean and range
Correct answer: Median and interquartile range
The median and interquartile range are robust measures of central tendency and spread for skewed or non-normal data.
Question 3: In a clinical trial, allocation concealment refers to:
- Blinding participants to their treatment assignment
- Preventing foreknowledge of the next assignment before enrolment (Correct answer)
- Keeping the statistician unaware of group labels
- Randomizing in blocks to balance covariates
Correct answer: Preventing foreknowledge of the next assignment before enrolment
Allocation concealment prevents selection bias by ensuring the next assignment is unknown until after a patient is enrolled.
Question 4: A systematic review finds significant heterogeneity (IĀ² = 75%) among included studies. The most appropriate response is to:
- Pool results using a fixed-effect model
- Exclude all studies and restart the review
- Explore sources of heterogeneity and use a random-effects model (Correct answer)
- Report only the largest study
Correct answer: Explore sources of heterogeneity and use a random-effects model
High heterogeneity warrants exploration of its sources and use of a random-effects model, which accounts for between-study variance.
Question 5: Which ethical principle underpins the requirement for participants to be informed before consenting to research?
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Respect for autonomy (Correct answer)
- Non-maleficence
Correct answer: Respect for autonomy
Respect for autonomy requires that individuals make free, informed decisions, which is the basis of informed consent.
Question 6: In a cohort study, the incidence rate ratio compares:
- Prevalence in cases versus controls
- Rate of disease in exposed versus unexposed over time (Correct answer)
- Odds of exposure among cases and controls
- Sensitivity of an exposure marker
Correct answer: Rate of disease in exposed versus unexposed over time
The incidence rate ratio is the rate of disease incidence in the exposed group divided by the rate in the unexposed group.
Question 7: The CONSORT statement is primarily used to improve reporting of:
- Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- Observational cohort studies
- Randomized controlled trials (Correct answer)
- Diagnostic accuracy studies
Correct answer: Randomized controlled trials
CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) provides a checklist and flow diagram for transparent reporting of RCTs.
FACEM Research and Innovation 2
A researcher wants to measure the diagnostic accuracy of a new bedside test.
Which study design is most appropriate?