The document provides tips for searching the literature, using Embase as an example database. It recommends: 1) Identifying the problem and defining a structured question; 2) Searching Embase using relevant subject headings (e.g. for disease terms) and keywords; 3) Combining searches on the disease/patient population, therapies/drugs, and study design/type as needed. Embase is described as a good source for economic evaluations, with extensive indexing of medical journals. The tips aim to guide users to the best evidence through an organized literature search process.

1. Tips to search the literature
Example with Embase
Patrice CHALON, Msc
Knowledge manager, Centre fédéral d'expertise des soins de santé (KCE)
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2. Approach
1. Identify your problem
2. Define a structured question
3. Find the best evidence
4. How valid is the study?
5. What are the results?
6. How should I apply the results to patient care?
Source: Guyatt G, Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. Users' guides to the medical literature : a manual for evidence-based clinical practice. 2nd ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008.
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3. 1. IDENTIFY YOUR PROBLEM
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4. Example
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5. 2. DEFINE A
STRUCTURED QUESTION
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6. Example
Source : Horsmans Y, Thiry N, le Polain M, Adler M, Colle I, Delwaide J, Michielsen P, Orlent H, Van Damme P, Hulstaert F. Rapport coût-efficacité
du traitement antiviral de l’hépatite B chronique en Belgique. Partie 1: Examen de la littérature et résultats d’une étude nationale. Health Technology
Assessment (HTA). Bruxelles: Centre fédéral d’expertise des soins de santé (KCE). 2010. KCE Reports 127B. D/2010/10.2738/23.
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7. Example (cont.)
(CHB OR (Hepatitis B
ADJ2 Chronic*))
AND
(NA OR (Nuclo?ide ADJ2
analogue) OR (Interferon
ADJ3 therap*))
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8. 3. FIND THE BEST EVIDENCE
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9. Databases for economic evaluations
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10. EMBASE (EMBASE.COM)
http://www.embase.com
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11. Embase fact sheet
Producer Elsevier (NL)
Time coverage 1974 (Embase classic : 1947 – 1973)
Source 7000 peer reviewed journals from over 80 countries
Topics Drug research, pharmacology, pharmacy,
pharmacoeconomics, pharmaceutics and Toxicology ;
Human medicine (clinical and experimental) ; Basic
biological research ; Health policy and management ;
Public, occupational and environmental health ;
Substance dependence and abuse ; Psychiatry ; Forensic
science ; Biomedical engineering and instrumentation
Content Journal articles
Indexation Emtree, updated annually
Manual indexation based on full text reading
Abstracts Author-written English abstracts (80% of records)
Source : Embase Indexing Explained : An explanatory guide to the indexing policy for Embase. Version 2.4, 2009. Available from :
http://embase.com/info/UserFiles/Files/Embase%20Classic%20Indexing%20Guide.pdf
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12. Example
Source : Horsmans Y, Thiry N, le Polain M, Adler M, Colle I, Delwaide J, Michielsen P, Orlent H, Van Damme P, Hulstaert F. Rapport coût-efficacité
du traitement antiviral de l’hépatite B chronique en Belgique. Partie 1: Examen de la littérature et résultats d’une étude nationale. Health Technology
Assessment (HTA). Bruxelles: Centre fédéral d’expertise des soins de santé (KCE). 2010. KCE Reports 127B. D/2010/10.2738/23.
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13. Search 1st
concept (patient / pathology)
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14. Map term
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15. Check term
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16. Check term (cont.)
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17. Major focus? Explosion?
Major/Minor descriptors

Descriptors can be given
more weight by assigning
them as major terms when
they are the particular focus
of the article or as minor
when the concept is merely
mentioned. Obviously
concepts that occur in the
title or the abstract are a
good indicator of the main
focus of an article.
Explosion

Explosion retains all narrower
terms

Embase.com explodes by
default
Source : Embase Indexing Explained : An explanatory guide to the indexing policy for
Embase. Version 2.4, 2009. Available from :
http://embase.com/info/UserFiles/Files/Embase%20Classic%20Indexing
%20Guide.pdf
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18. Disease search
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19. Disease search (cont.)
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20. Results
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21. Search : 2nd
concept (therapy)
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22. Search : 2nd
concept (therapy) (cont.)
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23. Drug search
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24. Combine searches
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26. Search 3rd
concept (design)
Source : Horsmans Y, Thiry N, le Polain M, Adler M, Colle I, Delwaide J, Michielsen P, Orlent H, Van Damme P, Hulstaert F. Rapport coût-efficacité
du traitement antiviral de l’hépatite B chronique en Belgique. Partie 1: Examen de la littérature et résultats d’une étude nationale. Health Technology
Assessment (HTA). Bruxelles: Centre fédéral d’expertise des soins de santé (KCE). 2010. KCE Reports 127B. D/2010/10.2738/23.
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27. Alternatives
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28. Thank you!
Copyrights: This work is released under Creative Commons License
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