Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Does Gua Sha Therapy Reduce Pain Intensity In Patients With Chronic Back Pain?, Anh Y. Cao

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Does Gua shatherapy reduce pain intensity in patients with chronic back pain?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials/studies published in English between 2013-2019.

DATA SOURCES: All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals and obtained from PubMed. The studies were selected based on their applicability to the topic listed above.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: A common outcome measured across all three articles included pain intensity. Each study used the 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Participants were asked to rate their pain before and after therapeutic interventions. A …

Does Endometrial Scratching Increase Live Birth Rates For Women Undergoing Ivf?, Caitlyn Kratzer

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Endometrial Scratching Increases Live Birth Rates for Women Undergoing IVF?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized control trials (RCTs) published between 2010 and 2017.

DATA SOURCES: All three RCTs were discovered using PubMed. Studies were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability to the clinical question.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: In all three articles, the main outcome that will be reviewed is live birth rate. This was measured by the number of live births per embryos transferred divided by the total number …

Is S-Adenosylmethionine (Same) An Effective Drug To Help Treat Patients With Depression?, Cassidy M. Flanigan

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of the selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is Sadenosylmethionine (SAMe) an Effective Drug to Help Treat Patients with Depression?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2016-2020.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were discovered using PubMed. The articles were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: A reduction in depressive symptoms was the outcome measured in all three studies using the Montgomery-Asbery Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). The mean change in baseline was calculated once intervention was received. …

Does Exercise Decrease The Level Of Anxiety In Adults?, Alexa N. Wister

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does exercise decrease the level of anxiety in adults?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were peer reviewed and published between 2016 and 2020.

Data Sources: All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals. Two of the RCTs were researched using Pubmed and one RCT was found using Academic Search Premier, AMED. All studies were selected based on applicability to the clinical question presented in the objective, and if the researched outcomes were patient oriented.

Outcome Measured: A reduction in anxiety …

Is Exercise Effective In Improving The Cognitive And Behavioral Executive Functions In Children Diagnosed With Adhd?, Cara Scatena

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Is exercise effective in improving the cognitive and behavioral functions in children diagnosed with ADHD?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized control trials (RCTs). All three of these studies were published between 2011 and 2016.

Data Sources: All three of the RCTs were found using PubMed. All of the studies were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on their relevance to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured in these studies is the measurable improvement in executive functions related to the effects of …

Is Acupuncture Effective In Improving Pain In Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis?, Despina Lianidis

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is acupuncture effective in improving pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis?”

Study design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in between 2015-2018.

Data sources: All three RCTs were discovered using PubMed. The articles were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability to the clinical question.

Outcome measured: Based on the studies done by Lin et al. and Chen et al., using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), a self-reported measure of lower extremity pain, stiffness, …

Does The Use Of Docosahexaenoic Acid (Dha) Supplementation Decrease The Rate Of Cognitive Decline, As Measured By The Adas-Cog Scale, For Patients With Alzheimer’S Disease?, Erin C. Nakamura

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does the use of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation decrease the rate of cognitive decline, as measured by the ADAS-Cog scale, for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2010 and 2018.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were published in English into peer reviewed journals and discovered via PubMed. The studies were selected based on relevance and ability to answer the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: Cognitive function is the outcome measured using the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale- …

Are Quarterly Fremanezumab Injections As Effective As Monthly Fremanezumab Injections At Reducing The Number Of Migraine Days Per Month In Adults With Chronic Migraines?, Elaine Mellinger

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic EBM review is to determine “Are quarterly fremanezumabinjections as effective as monthly fremanezumab injections at reducing the number of migraine days per month in adults with chronic migraines?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were peer reviewed and published in English after 2015 comparing quarterly versus monthly fremanezumab injections in adults 18-70 with chronic migraines.

DATA SOURCE: Three RCTs were obtained from PubMed and selected based on their relevance to the clinical question and if the RCTs addressed patient oriented outcomes.

OUTCOMES: The three selected RCTs for review, …

Is Perioperative Intravenous Lidocaine A Sufficient Adjunct To Traditional Opioid Therapy At Decreasing Post-Operative Pain In Male And Female Patients Ages 18-75 Following A Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy?, Desiree Malacusky

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to determine “Is perioperative intravenous lidocaine a sufficient adjunct to traditional opioid therapy at decreasing post operative pain in male and female patients ages 18-75 following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy?”

STUDY DESIGN: A review of three randomized control trials (RCTs) that were peer reviewed and published in English after 2015.

DATA SOURCE: All articles were published in peer reviewed journals and were researched using PubMed and EBSCO databases. Studies were selected based on their ability to answer the question posed in the objective, and if the researched outcomes were patient oriented.

OUTCOMES: The …

Is Aquatic Therapy An Effective Treatment For Reducing Fatigue In Adult Females Living With Ms?, Hanna L. Ozarski

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine, “Is aquatic therapy an effective treatment for reducing fatigue in adult females living with MS?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2015 and 2018.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were published in English peer reviewed journals and were discovered on PubMed using selective search criteria. Studies were chosen based on their relevance and competency to answer the clinical question proposed.

Outcome Measured: The main outcome of focus in each of the articles selected for this review was fatigue reduction. Outcomes were measured …

Does The Application Of Kt Tape Decrease Pain In Chronic Low Back Pain?, Jordan Vitelli

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Does the application of KT tape decrease pain in chronic low back pain?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2018 and 2019.

Data Sources: The three RCTs were published in English in peer reviewed journals and obtained from PubMed. The studies were selected based on their relevance to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured within all three RCTs was pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The VAS scoring ranges from 0 to 10, defining 0 as no pain …

Is Cryoanalgesia An Effective Supplemental Method Of Post-Thoracotomy Pain Management?, Jency Boyce

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this EBM review is to determine if cryoanalgesia is an effective addition to pain management protocols for patients post-thoracotomy.

Study Design: This EBM review examines three randomized controlled trials.

Data Sources: Data was gathered from the three studies found on PubMed and EBSCOhost. Each study was published in a peer reviewed journal, in English between 2010 and 2021.

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured was pain reported by patients using a visual analag scale (VAS). Two studies utilized a 0-10 scale and the third a 0-100mm scale.

Results: In the study by Sepsas et al. it was …

Does The Use Of Blinatumomab Improve The Overall Survival Rate In Adults With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia?, Julia Colangeli

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review paper is to determine whether or not, “Does the use of blinatumomab improve the overall survival rate in adults with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia?”

Study Design: A systematic review of two RCTs and one case-based series were utilized. All studies were published between 2014-2019.

Data Sources: The two RCTs were found through PubMed and the case-based series was obtained through CINAHL Plus. All the studies were published in peer-reviewed journals.

Outcomes Measured: The main outcome measured in all the studies was overall survival. Both RCTs defined overall survival as the time from …

Does High-Flow Oxygen Therapy Decrease The Length Of Hospital Stay In Pediatric Patients With Bronchiolitis When Compared To Standard Oxygen Therapy?, Liann N. Tran

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine, “Does high-flow oxygen therapy decrease the length of hospital stay in pediatric patients with bronchiolitis when compared to standard oxygen therapy?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). All studies were published in the English language after 2014.

DATA SOURCES: All articles were found using PubMed, CINAHL, Alt HealthWatch, AMED. All articles were published in peer-reviewed journals.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: A reduction in length of hospital stay, in terms of the number of days, was the outcome measured in all three studies. This is defined as the …

Do Probiotics Decrease Depressive Symptoms In Patients With Low Mood?, Kaitlyn Talt

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine, “Do probiotics decrease depressive symptoms in patients with low mood?”

Study Design: A systematic review of three double blind, randomized control trials (RCTs) published between 2016 and 2019.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were found using PubMed and published in English in peer-reviewed journals. The articles were chosen based on their attention to patient-oriented evidence that matters (POEMS) and their relevance to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: All three articles utilized either the Beck Depression Index (BDI) and/or the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) to measure the severity of …

Does Biofeedback Increase Gait Velocity In Children With Cerebral Palsy?, Kara L. Steck

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does biofeedback increase gait velocity in children with cerebral palsy (CP)?”.

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized control trials (RCTs) published between 2014 and 2019.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were found using PubMed. Each article was published in English in peer reviewed journals and selected based on their applicability to the clinical question, provide a new technique in CP rehabilitation, and include patient-oriented outcomes (POEMS).

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured was gait velocity before and after treatment using Tekscan software, 3D motion analysis …

Is Botulinum Toxin Effective At Reducing Sensory Symptoms In The Hands Of Patients With Raynaud’S Phenomenon?, Maria C. Dicioccio

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to determine, “Is Botulinum Toxin Effective at Reducing Sensory Symptoms in the Hands of Patients with Raynaud’s Phenomenon?”

Study Design: A systematic review of two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one prospective case series published between 2017 and 2019.

Data Sources: The articles were discovered using PubMed or Academic Search Premier. The articles were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on pertinence to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: A reduction in sensory symptoms was the outcome measured in all three studies using the VAS pain score (0-10/100) or McCabe …

Is Cryotherapy With Exercise Therapy More Effective Than Exercise Therapy Alone In Reducing Symptoms Associated With Ankylosing Spondylitis?, Michelle Hand

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this systematic EBM review is to determine “Is Cryotherapy with Exercise Therapy More Effective than Exercise Therapy Alone in Reducing Symptoms Associated with Ankylosing Spondylitis?”

Study Design: A comprehensive review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Data Sources: PubMed database was used to find all three articles referenced in this review. Each article was published in a peer-reviewed journal and published after 2010.

Outcome Measured: The outcome considered for this review was subjective reduction in disease activity measured using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) which consists of 6 questions regarding clinical manifestations of …

Does Spaced Retrieval Therapy Help Improve Quality Of Life For Individuals With Dementia?, Simone E. Fleary

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this systematic EBM review is to determine “Does Spaced Retrieval Therapy Help Improve Quality of Life for Individuals with Dementia?”

Study Design: A systemic review of three peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCT) published in English between 2016-2017.

Data Sources: All peer-reviewed articles were selected using PubMed. All articles were published in English and selected based on relevance to the clinical question. Exclusion criteria excluded studies with combined intervention methods.

Outcome Measured: Assessment of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) was determined using the IADL task score assessed by the recruiter. Improvement of hyperphagic behavior assessed by …

Is Platelet Rich Plasma (Prp) Injection An Effective Therapy In Improving Patient Functional Outcomes And Decreasing Pain Postoperatively In Adults With Meniscal Repairs?, Paige A. Foschi

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine: “Is platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection an effective therapy in improving patient functional outcomes and decreasing pain postoperatively in adults with meniscal repairs.”

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2018 and 2019.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were discovered using PubMed, AMED, CINAHL Plus, and Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Source. The articles were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability to the clinical question.

Outcome Measured: Patients’ pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the …

Does Dance Therapy During Active Labor Reduce Labor Pain?, Sarah E. Naber

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Does dance therapy during active labor decrease labor pain?”

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of two randomized control trials and a cohort study that were published in English between 2014 and 2020.

DATA SOURCES: Three studies were obtained from PubMed, Alt HealthWatch, and AMED. They were all published in peer-reviewed journals and chosen based on their relevance to the clinical question proposed.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The main outcome measured in all three studies is pain during active labor. Pain was measured in all studies using the visual analog scale (VAS). …

Does Administration Of An Anterior Suprascapular Nerve Block Improve Post-Operative Pain And Reduce Opioid Consumption When Compared To Traditional Interscalene Nerve Plexus Block In Adults Undergoing Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery?, Tyler Trobetsky

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does administration of an anterior suprascapular nerve block improve post-operative pain and reduce opioid consumption when compared to traditional interscalene nerve plexus block in adults undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery.”

Study Design: A review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English between 2017-2020.

Data Sources: All three articles used are peer-reviewed RCTs that were discovered using PubMed. The articles were evaluated and selected based on their ability to answer the proposed clinical question.

Outcome Measured: All three articles measured and compared post-operative pain using numerical …

Does Atomoxetine Improve Inattentiveness In Adults With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?, Sarah Defelice

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review of three composite studies is to determine whether or not atomoxetine improves inattentiveness in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Study Design: A systematic review of three blinded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2011 and 2021.

Data Sources: Research was gathered from PubMed and Embase in December 2020-February 2021 for the three RCTs, and supplemental articles were found in September through November 2021 from PubMed. All three RCTs were published in English and found in peer-reviewed journals and were chosen based on their relevance to the topic question.

Outcome Measured: A …

Does Hippotherapy Improve Gross Motor Function In Children With Cerebral Palsy?, Victoria I. Bockius

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does hippotherapy improve gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy?”.

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs), with one being a randomized crossover trial. All three were published between 2015 and 2018.

DATA SOURCES: Three RCTs published in peer-reviewed journals were chosen from PubMed. The studies were selected based on their relevance to the clinical question.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcome measured was improvement in gross motor function. Either hip adductor spasticity using Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) or the Gross Motor Function …

Is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Tens) An Effective Treatment For Pain Caused By Knee Osteoarthritis?, Zuhra Nassery

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “is TENS an effective treatment for pain caused by knee osteoarthritis?”.

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2012 and 2019.

Data Sources: All RCTs were discovered utilizing PubMed. The articles were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and selected based on applicability and pertinence to the clinical question as well as the incorporation of patient-oriented outcomes.

Outcome Measured: Knee pain was the outcome measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), which requires participants to draw a mark between the …

In Adult Patients With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Ocd), Is The Amino Acid N-Acetyl Cysteine (Nac) Effective In Reducing Severity Of Ocd?, Sabrina M. Toles

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “In adult patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), is the amino acid N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) effective in reducing severity of OCD?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary studies, published between 2015-2017.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were found using PubMed-NCBI. These studies analyzed the effectiveness in reducing the severity of OCD in adults with OCD. OUTCOME MEASURED: The main outcome measured was a reduction of OCD severity after taking N-Acetyl Cysteine. Outcomes were measured using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Participants …

Does Metacognitive Training Improve The Quality Of Life In Patients With Schizophrenia?, Amy Wei

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does metacognitive training (MCT) improve the quality of life in patients with schizophrenia?”

Study Design: Systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010-2014, all in the English language; two of which were published in 2014 and one in 2010.

Data Sources: Three randomized controlled trials found using PubMed.

Outcomes Measured: Quality of life with a focus on social relationships was assessed using the Brief Quality of Life Questionnaire of the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF) or Quality of Life Scale (QLS). …

Does Sertraline Decrease Depression In Patients Who Suffered A Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi)?, Christina Costantino

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does sertraline decrease depression in patients who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI)?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English between 2009-2016.

DATA SOURCES: One RCT and two double-blind, placebo-controlled, RCTs found via PubMed evaluated the benefit of the antidepressant drug, sertraline (Zoloft), in decreasing depression in patients who suffered a TBI.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Main outcomes were measured using the DSM-IV, Hamilton Rating Score for Depression (HAM-D)6 , Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)6 , and the Life-3 quality of life (QOL)6 , …

Is Acetyl-L-Carnitine Effective And Safe In Treating Children With Adhd?, Kirstie Dominique

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to see how effective and safe is Acetyl-L-Carnitine in treating children with ADHD.

Study Design: This systematic review evaluated 3 randomized, controlled and double blind articles all published in English, which were published in peer-reviewed journals. The articles were found on PubMed through PCOM’s library website.

Outcomes measured: This review assessed how safe and effective ALC would be in treating children with ADHD. The outcomes were measured using the Parent and Teacher ADHD Scale IV, Conners’ Global Index-Parents Scale, Conners’ Global Index – Teachers Scale and the Vineland scores …

Is The Use Of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids As Adjunctive Therapy Effective In Reducing Symptom Severity In Adult Schizophrenia Patients?, Desiree Goenaga

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not the use of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as adjunctive therapy is effective in reducing symptom severity in adult schizophrenia patients.

STUDY DESIGN: A selective review of three peer-reviewed, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials published between the years of 2008 and 2016.

DATA SOURCES: All three randomized control trials were published in English and were selected from peer-reviewed journals via EmBase and PubMed based on relevance to the clinical question posed above and that the outcomes measured in the studies mattered to patients, or were “patient oriented.” …