Template for pressure ulcer research

Synthesizing scientific information from the literature, even in a well-defined area, is difficult because not all studies report similar information. A template was developed by the authors to abstract information from articles reviewed for the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) Clinical Practice Guideline on Pressure Ulcer Treatment. The research template specifies content to be included in a study reprot (e.g. variables, methods, endpoints, statistics, and conclusions). The authors also propose the use of the template to guide researchers so that future studies include important elements and provide greater methodologic consistency.