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4. How to construct a good EBVM question?

4.2. I – Intervention: treatment, prognostic factor or exposure

4.2 I – Intervention: treatment, prognostic factor or exposure

You might be interested in a specific treatment, a factor that will indicate prognosis in a disease process, or the association of a certain exposure with disease, depending on the question.

These interventions are often considered with their matching comparators – something you might compare against the group receiving the intervention (see the next page for further information about comparators).

Table 2: Examples of questions expressed as intervention or interest

QUESTION	INTERVENTION/INTEREST
Which diet is best to feed cats with chronic renal disease?	Feeding a renal prescription diet
Which diagnostic test is most reliable for diagnosing fascioliasis in lactating dairy cattle?	Milk ELISA
Does sex affect survival in flat-coat retrievers with cutaneous lymphoma?	Being male
Are the risks of inhalational induction of general anaesthesia higher compared to injectable induction ferrets under different protocols?	General anaesthesia induction by triple injectable agent
Are cardiac disorders in Welsh Section A mountain ponies more prevalent than other breeds?	Being a Welsh Section A mountain pony