Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Is Topical Eflornithine An Effective Adjunctive Therapy In Reducing Unwanted Facial Hair In Women Diagnosed With Hirsutism?, Jasmine Jordan

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not topical eflornithine is an effective adjunctive therapy in reducing unwanted facial hair in women diagnosed with hirsutism.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from peer reviewed journals, published in 2006, 2007 and 2016.

DATA SOURCES: The studies analyze the effectiveness of eflornithine in women with hirsutism and were found using PubMed, Embase and Medline.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Reduction of unwanted facial hair was measured through hair counts done at 0, 1, 3 and 6 months, Physician Global Assessment which considered hair length, density …

Is Hypothermia Therapy An Effective Treatment In Improving Survival Rates In Pediatrics Patients That Have Suspected Brain Injuries?, Brittany J. Kelder

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not therapeutic hypothermia is an effective treatment in improving survival rates in pediatric patients that have suspected brain injuries.

Study Design: Two randomized control trials and one cohort analysis published in 2015 to 2016 were selected based on their relevance to the clinical question.

Data Sources: Studies were obtained by searching PubMed, OVID, Medline databases. All articles were published in English and peer viewed journals.

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured was survival rates at 12-month post injury compared between the groups that received therapeutic hypothermia or normotherapy …

Is Acupuncture An Effective Adjunct Therapy In Improving Quality Of Life Outcomes Of Women, 18-25 Years Old, With Clinically Diagnosed Disordered Eating?, Margaret Hornbake

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this EBM is to determine whether or not acupuncture can be used as an adjunct therapy in improving quality of life outcomes in women, 18-25 years old, with a clinically diagnosed eating disorder.

STUDY DESIGN: Systemic review of one randomized cross-over pilot study published in 2010, one randomized controlled trial published in 2013, and one pilot randomized controlled trial published in 2014, all published in the English language

DATA SOURCES: Data sources for this review were articles published in peer-reviewed journals using PubMed Database.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcomes measured include patient response to treatment and improvements …

Is Memantine A Safe And Effective Treatment For Alzheimer’S Disease In Patients Over The Age Of 50?, Stephanie Hoarau

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not memantine is a safe and effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in patients over the age of 50.

STUDY DESIGN Systematic review of two randomized controlled trials published in 2006 and 2013 and one randomized controlled trial pooled analysis published in 2014.

DATA SOURCES Two randomized controlled trials and one pooled analysis were obtained using PubMed.

OUTCOMES MEASURED Efficacy of memantine as compared to control groups based on cognition, behavior, and adverse events. These were measured using Severe Impairment Battery (SIB), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and Behavioral Pathology …

Are Biofeedback Techniques Effective In Reducing Stress In The Workplace?, Ryan Field

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not biofeedback techniques are effective in reducing stress in the workplace.

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs), one containing a 28 day trial extension, published in peer reviewed journals from 2011-2012, all in the English language.

Data Sources: All studies were found using PubMed. Outcomes measured: All three studies measured stress reduction through biofeedback techniques using subjective patient questionnaires.

Results: All studies showed that biofeedback techniques were effective in reducing workplace stress compared to the control. Manocha et al. made a further …

Does The Use Of Integra®, An Artificial Dermal Substitute, Improve Patient Scar Quality In Burn Injuries?, Yanni Eboras

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not Integra® improves patient scar quality compared to standard autograft-allograft technique or splitthickness skin graft (STSG).

Study Design: Selective EBM review of two randomized controlled trials and one retrospective study.

Data Sources: All studies were published in peer-reviewed journals found on PubMed.

Outcome(s) measured: The main outcome measured is patient scar quality, further defined by scar pigmentation, pliability, height, irregularity, vascularity, range of movement, softness, appearance, sensation, dryness, itch, and sweating.

Results: The study by Lagus, et al found that STSG had better scar outcomes than Integra® …

Can Curcumin Be Effective In Managing And Preventing Major Complications For Type 2 Diabetics Or Even Prevent The Onset Of Type 2 Diabetes In Pre-Diabetics?, Anna Goryachkovsky

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not curcumin can manage and prevent major complications for type 2 diabetics or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in pre-diabetics.

Study Design: Review of two English articles and one English/Italian article. Two were double-blinded, randomized control trials (RCTs) and one was a controlled, therapeutic protocol registry in which subjects were allowed to choose to be in the experimental group. All were published after 2012.

Data Sources: Both RCTs and the controlled, registry study were found through PubMed.

Outcomes measured: This review assessed whether curcumin …

Does The Use Of Probiotics Treat Abdominal Pain In Children Between The Ages Of 4 And 18 With Irritable Bowel Syndrome?, Victoria Gonzalez

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not the use of probiotics treat abdominal pain in children between the ages of 4 and 18 with irritable bowel syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN: Systemic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published after 2007, all English language.

DATA SOURCES: All three randomized controlled trials were found on PubMed and were selected based on relevance to the proposed clinical question.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Main outcomes measured were duration with and without abdominal pain, severity of pain, postprandial swelling, belching-abdominal distention, difficulty in defecation, urgent defecation, and feeling of incomplete …

Is Electronically-Delivered Cognitive Therapy Effective In Producing Remission From Clinical Depression In Postpartum Women By 15 Weeks After Start Of Treatment?, Christina M. Cotellese

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) review is to determine whether or not, “Is electronically-delivered cognitive therapy effective in producing remission from clinical depression in postpartum women by 15 weeks after start of treatment?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

DATA SOURCES: All studies were published in peer-reviewed journals found via the use of PubMed and Embase.

OUTCOME(S) MEASURED: The outcome measured was active or remissive diagnosis of postpartum depression. This was measured using either the SCID-IV to determine DSM-IV diagnosis or the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale.

RESULTS: Three randomized controlled trials were …

Is Hippotherapy Effective In Reducing The Fall Risk In Patients Diagnosed With A Stroke?, Danny Diaz

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not hippotherapy is effective in reducing fall risk in patients diagnosed with a stroke.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language randomized controlled trials (RCTs) between 2006-recent.

DATA SOURCES: Three non-blind RCTs published and obtained from PubMed.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Each RCT measured balance by either using the Berg Balance Scale or the Bio Rescue (an analysis system with biofeedback).

RESULTS: All three articles found that hippotherapy significantly improved the balance of patients diagnosed with a stroke, when compared to the traditional physical therapy treatments of treadmill walking, …

Are Cox-2 Inhibitors Such As Celecoxib And Parecoxib Effective In Reducing Post-Tonsillectomy Pain?, Shelby Ginsburg

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine where or not “Are Cox-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib and parecoxib effective in reducing post-tonsillectomy pain?”

Study Design: Review of three double blind randomized controlled trials (RTC). Data Sources: All studies were published in peer-reviewed journals found via the use of PubMed.

Outcomes Measured: Patients were divided into two groups: those who received the Cox-2 inhibitor and those who received the placebo, in order to measure postoperative pain using patient or parent reported journals or diaries, questionnaires, and various pain scales (CHEOPS, and WP24HR with VAS).

Results: Two out …

Is Physical Activity Effective In Reducing The Gastrointestinal Symptoms Associated With Irritable Bowel Syndrome?, Lindsay K. Chandler

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not physical activity is effective in reducing the gastrointestinal symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome in adults 18 years of age and older.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary randomized controlled trials from peer reviewed journals published between 2008-2015.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized controlled trials were found using PubMed and Cochrane.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: All three studies measured irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) gastrointestinal symptom severity using self-reported questionnaires including the irritable bowel syndrome severity scoring system (IBS-SSS) and the Birmingham IBS Symptom Questionnaire.

RESULTS: Kavuri et …

Is Epidermal Growth Factor Vaccine Also Known As Cimavax-Egf More Effective At Improving Survival Than Best Supportive Care Or Other Therapies In Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?, Jera Delibashi

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to determine whether or not Epidermal Growth Factor Vaccine also known as CimaVax-EGF is more effective at improving survival than best supportive care or other therapies in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Study Design: Systematic review of two randomized control trials (RCTs) and one observational/before and after study published after the year 2007.

Data Sources: All articles were published in English in peer reviewed journals and were searched for personally by me, the author, via PubMed and Embase. Articles selected were only those that were published after 2007, were relevant to …

Does Musical Therapy Increase Reading Ability In Children Aged 8-10 That Are Diagnosed With Dyslexia?, Kyle N. Brim

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not, “Does musical therapy increase reading ability in children aged 8-10 that are diagnosed with dyslexia?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary studies, published between 2013 and 2016. Articles were selected based on outcomes measured and relevance to the objective.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one non-randomized control trial were found using PubMed. These studies analyzed how music training affected the reading ability in children with dyslexia or severe reading impairments.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Main outcomes assessed were word accuracy measured with the …

Is Acupuncture (Including Electroacupuncture) Beneficial On The Quality Of Life In Patients With Parkinson’S Disease?, Yoo Yuong Chon

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is acupuncture (including electroacupuncture) beneficial on the quality of life in patients with Parkinson’s disease?”

Study design: Systematic review of three primary studies published in 2015 and 2016

Data sources: Two randomized control trials and one non-randomized control trial were chosen through PubMed to study the effects of acupuncture (including electroacupuncture) improving the quality of life and activities of daily living in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Outcome(s) measured: The outcomes were measured by using two types of questionnaires: A 39-item Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) to measure …

Is Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Able To Decrease The Number Of Relapses In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis?, Justin K. Balliet

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not mesenchymal stem cell therapy decreased the number of relapses in patients with multiple sclerosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three randomized controlled trials from 2006-2016.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized control trials and one case series were found searching PubMed. The randomized control trials compared the number of relapses of patients undergoing stem cell therapy against placebo and anti-inflammatory treatment (IV methylprednisolone and oral prednisone). The case series compared the number of relapses patients experienced before and after stem cell therapy.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Clinical outcomes included the number …

Are Long-Term Antibiotic Treatments Safe And Effective In Treating Patients 16 And Older With Disseminated Lyme Disease?, Madison E. Brown

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not long-term antibiotic treatments are safe and effective in treating patients 16 and older with disseminated Lyme disease?

Study Design: Systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in peer reviewed journals between 2010-2014, all English language.

Data Sources: The three randomized controlled trials were found using PubMed.

Outcomes Measured: Two of the studies measured quality of life using RAND-36 Health Status Inventory. The third study measured patients’ symptoms using a visual analogue scale.

Results: All three studies found no significant change in the quality of …

Is Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy An Effective Treatment For Refractory Ibs?, Kimberly N. Angelina

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is gutdirected hypnotherapy an effective treatment for refractory IBS?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary studies, one of which was published in 2012 and two in 2013.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one case study published in peer-reviewed journals analyzing the effects of gut-directed hypnotherapy (GHT) on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms were found via PubMed and Cochrane databases.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: IBS symptoms including abdominal pain, abdominal distention, more or less frequent stools, looser or harder stools, diarrhea, and constipation were …

Is Spinal Cord Stimulation An Effective Therapy To Treat Severe Lower Extremity Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy That Has Lasted Over One Year And Has Not Responded To Medical Therapy?, Eleni Brecht

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is spinal cord stimulation an effective therapy to treat severe lower extremity painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy that has lasted over one year and has not responded to medical therapy?”

Study Design: A review of two RCTs and one case series published in English in 2014.

Data Sources: Two RCTs and one case series found via PubMed that evaluated the benefit of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) versus best medical treatment (BMT) to treat severe painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN).

Outcome(s) Measured: The amount of pain a patient …

Does Hydrotherapy Improve Health-Related Quality Of Life (Hr-Qol) In Adult Men And Women With Multiple Sclerosis (Ms)?, Cassandra A. Barker

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not hydrotherapy improves health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in adult men and women with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Study Design: Review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2012-current, all in the English language.

Data Sources: Three randomized controlled trials (RCTs), all of which evaluate the effectiveness of hydrotherapy compared to a control group that was asked either not to change their exercise habits or to participate in land-based activities. All studies were found using PubMed and Embase.

Outcomes Measured: Each of the three articles analyzed the …

Does Low-Level Light Therapy Accelerate Healing Time Of Oral Herpes Simplex Lesions?, Anna Cauthen

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective evidence-based medicine review is to determine whether or not low-level light therapy accelerates healing time of oral herpes simplex lesions.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three randomized control trials between 2006 and 2013.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized, double-blind and semi-blind control trials found via PubMed.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The primary endpoint measured was healing time, which was defined as time for oral herpes lesions to fully resolve and underlying skin to become completely re-epithelialized. 3,4 The secondary endpoint measured time it took lesions to crust over. 3,4 One study also measured recurrence of lesions over a …

Is Acupuncture Effective In Improving The Quality Of Life For Women In The Reproductive Age Diagnosed With Endometriosis?, Ashley M. Hayes

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not acupuncture is effective in improving the quality of life for women in the reproductive age diagnosed with endometriosis.

Study Design: Review of 3 RCTs published between 2011-current, all in the English language. One of the RCTs was blinded while the other two were non-blinded.

Data Source: Three RCTs that analyzed the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy compared to control groups. All studies were found using EBSCOhost, PubMed and Medline and were selected based on relevance to the proposed clinical question.

Outcomes Measured: Each of the 3 articles …

Does Resistance Training Reduce Low Back Pain?, Lauren N. Carosi

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not resistance training reduces low back pain.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary studies published in 2011, 2014, and 2015.

DATA SOURCES: Randomized controlled and clinical trials comparing resistance training (kettlebell training, graded activity, TOTRX, LEXT) to physiotherapy exercise and no exercise intervention, found using PubMed.

OUTCOME MEASURED: Severity of pain in the low-back area, measured using Pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRSpain) and pain visual-analog scale.

RESULTS: Two out of three studies found that resistance training reduced low back pain in comparison to a control …

Can Tango Help Improve Quality Of Life For Patients With Parkinson’S Disease?, Laila Adams

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not tango can help improve the quality of life for patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three peer-reviewed primary studies published between the years of 2013 and 2015.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized control trials and one non-randomized control trial evaluating if tango can improve the quality of life for patients who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Sources were selected from PubMed and Google Scholar based off of the relevance to the clinical question and outcomes being patient oriented.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcomes measured …

Is Exercise An Effective Treatment For Reducing Anxiety In Patients With Panic Disorder?, Danielle Kemp

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not exercise is an effective treatment for reducing anxiety in patients with panic disorder.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of three English language randomized controlled trials published between 2008 and 2015.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized controlled trials published in peer-reviewed journals comparing the effects of exercise on anxiety in patients with panic disorder using PubMed and EBSCO databases.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcomes measured were improvement in anxiety symptoms in patients with panic disorder participating in exercise and fears related to anxiety- related sensations when patients were participating in …

Is Duloxetine Effective In Reducing Pain For Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy?, Hee Namgoong

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not duloxetine is effective in reducing pain for patients with diabetic neuropathy.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of three English language Randomized Controlled Trials, published between 2010-2015.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized controlled trials published in peer-reviewed journals comparing the effects of Duloxetine on diabetic neuropathy pain found using the Embase database.

OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes were measured by assessing diabetic neuropathy pain reduction, using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) average pain item, BPI- severity scale, BPI- interference. Also, individual health outcome was measured by using Patient Global Impression …

Do Leukotriene Inhibitors/Modifiers Reduce Symptoms Associated With Nasal Polyps?, Dallas A. Knox

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to determine how well leukotriene inhibitors/modifiers reduce symptoms associated with nasal polyps.

Study Design: The studies included in this review are three randomized controlled trials.

Data Source: The three RCTs in this review were obtained by performing a PubMed search using the keywords “nasal polyp”, “leukotriene”, and “Montelukast”. All articles were published in English and in peer-reviewed journals.

Outcomes Measured: The three studies determine whether there was significant improvement of symptoms in patients with nasal polyps who were treated adjunctively with leukotriene inhibitors/modifiers. The symptoms were measured before and after the treatments …

Do Positive Distractions Improve Pediatric Patient Satisfaction In Children Undergoing Medical Procedures?, Audrey Jeon

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not positive distractions improve pediatric patient satisfaction in children undergoing medical procedures.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review compiling data from two randomized controlled trials and one convenience prospective trial between 2012 and 2015, all in the English language.

DATA SOURCES: After a thorough search of PubMed and Cochrane, three pertinent studies were found to include in this review. The selected studies were evaluated to assess the effectiveness of positive distraction techniques in improving pediatric patient satisfaction.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Decrease in anxiety and pain symptoms measured by the Yale …

Is Maintaining A Gluten-Free Diet Effective In Decreasing Symptoms For Irritable Bowel Syndrome?, Christina T. Larkin

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not a gluten-free diet is effective in decreasing symptoms for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Study Design: Systemic review of three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials published between 2010-2016, all in the English language.

Data Sources: Data sources obtained for this review were studies published in peer reviewed journals found using PubMed Database and were selected based on outcomes measured and relevance to the objective.

Outcomes Measured: The outcomes measured were based on reduction in abdominal symptoms in IBS patients. Outcomes were measured by a series of 10 cm …

Are Monoclonal Anti-­‐Cgrp Antibodies Effective In The Treatment Of Adults With Migraines?, Lucy Johnston

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Are Monoclonal Anti-CGRP Antibodies Effective in the Treatment of Adults with Migraines?”

Study Design: A review of three randomized control trials (RTCs) written in English, published in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Data Sources: Each study was published in a peer-reviewed journals found via the PubMed database. These studies measured the effectiveness of monoclonal anti-CGRP antibodies in relieving migraines in adults.

Outcomes Measured: The outcomes measured in these trials were by how much monoclonal anti-CGRP antibodies lead to a decrease from baseline in the frequency of migraine …