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On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:32:18 +0100, Terry Shaneyfelt <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >Does any one have a good example of a fairly flawed therapy article for a >course that I teach in EBM. Seems most of the articles I find arent too badly >designed. Students always want to see some bad articles to critique. Here is a study that advertises itself as an RCT but isn't! This problem is not uncommon for interventions on "unpopular" problems like blepharitis. You are unlikely to see it for the "popular" problems like cardiovascular disease. Michael Dr Michael Power Clinical Knowledge Author, Guideline Developer and Informatician Clinical Knowledge Summaries Service www.cks.library.nhs.uk Br J Ophthalmol. 1995 Jan;79(1):42-5. Links Placebo controlled trial of fusidic acid gel and oxytetracycline for recurrent blepharitis and rosacea.Seal DV, Wright P, Ficker L, Hagan K, Troski M, Menday P. Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow. A prospective, randomised, double blind, partial crossover, placebo controlled trial has been conducted to compare the performance of topical fusidic acid gel (Fucithalmic) and oral oxytetracycline as treatment for symptomatic chronic blepharitis. Treatment success was judged both by a reduction in symptoms and clinical examination before and after therapy. Seventy five per cent of patients with blepharitis and associated rosacea were symptomatically improved by fusidic acid gel and 50% by oxytetracycline, but fewer (35%) appeared to benefit from the combination. Patients with chronic blepharitis of other aetiologies did not respond to fusidic acid gel but 25% did benefit from oxytetracycline and 30% from the combination. Our results demonstrate the need to investigate patients with blepharitis for concomitant rosacea as they respond well to targeted therapy.