What are the indications for bariatric surgery?

Journal of Family Practice, July, 2005 by Pamela L. Pentin, Joan Nashelsky

FPIN is national, not-for-profit consortium of family medicine departments, community residency programs, academic health sciences libraries, primary care practice-based research networks, and other specialists. Once questions are selected, FPIN editors then organize teams of clinicians and librarians to answer them based on systematic review of the world literature. Answers are developed through an explicit, systematic method:

* FPIN librarians and editors identify questions recently answered in best evidence sources (e.g. Cochrane Reviews, Clinical Evidence, the US Preventive Services Task Force, Evidence Based Guidelines, a published systematic review).

* FPIN librarians then conduct systematic and standardized literature searches of best evidence sources, Medline, and other databases in collaboration with an FPIN clinician or clinicians. If a best evidence source has been identified, the search begins from the date of the search conducted for that source. Otherwise, the searches are comprehensive.

* FPIN clinician authors then choose the highest quality original research sources, and critically appraise the research and integrate the findings in the Evidence Based Answer and Evidence Summary section of Clinical Inquiries. Authoritative sources are also quoted in the "Recommendations from Others" section of the Clinical Inquiry.

* Each Clinical Inquiry is reviewed by 4 or more peers or editors before publication in JFP.

* FPIN medical librarians are accountable for the thoroughness of the literature search, for recording the databases searched, search hedges used and the search terms. The details of each search is available to any interested reader (contact managingeditor@fpin.org).

* Finally, a practicing family physician or other clinician writes an accompanying commentary to provide a clinical perspective.

Pamela L. Pentin, JD, MD Puget Sound Family Medicine Residency, Bremerton, Wash

Joan Nashelsky, MLS Family Physicians Inquiries Network, Inc, Iowa City