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Table 1 Factors to be considered when critically appraising articles on therapy

From: Systematic review: Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation pump therapy: a critical appraisal of the evidence for patients with acute myocardial infarction

Validity

Primary guides

   Was assignment of patients to treatments really randomized?

   Were all patients who entered the study accounted for and

    attributed at its conclusion?

Secondary guides

   Were patients, clinicians, study personnel blinded?

   Were the groups similar at the start of the trial?

   Aside from experimental intervention, were the groups treated

    equally?

What were the results?

How large was the treatment effect?

How precise was the treatment effect?

Clinical application

Are the results applicable to my patients?

What is the net impact of the treatment?