Appendix B:.:  Study Questions: Refinement by Experts

	Regarding the AHCPR ACNE PROJECT

Dear <<Technical Advisor>>,

A major responsibility in this project is to help us refine the topics and questions for evidence review. Please complete this questionnaire. Feel free to call or email us with questions. There are strict time constraints from the AHCPR. We need a RAPID response. Please FAX your responses by DEC 18 (410 614-9878).

1. Below is a non-prioritorized list of questions elicited from experts, professional organizations, 	 and consumers. For each question, please

  --  Rate the Importance to your constituency of the questions, from 1 (Unimportant) to 10  (Vitally Important).

  --  Rate your sense of the Data Availability to answer the questions, from 1 (Unavailable) to 10 	 (Available through a simple Medline query).

  --  Provide some Comments, giving a sense of what you think the answer will be, or how established the answer might already be.	

					                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Data

	Importance	                              Availability        Comments		

Question			

Are there predictors of acne severity (race, time 

with acne, history of treatment, diet, hygiene)?

Does acne treatment effectiveness vary by 

severity/type of acne?

To what extent does health insurance cover acne 

treatment?

At what point do patients seek, or want to seek, 

medical care?

How do generalists and specialists compare in 

their ability to diagnose acne and its severity?

What is the effectiveness of OTC preparations 

and their combinations in treating acne?

What is the efficacy of FDA-approved drugs for 

treating acne, and the efficacy of their 

combinations?

What is the efficacy of treatments not FDA

approved in treating acne?	

                                                                                              Data

	Importance	                                   Availability       Comments							                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Data

	Importance	                              Availability        Comments		

Question			

What is the efficacy of treatments used outside the

United States in treating acne?

What treatments are known not to be effective in 

treating acne?

How do generalists and specialists differ in their 

manageent (appropriate or otherwise) of acne?

What should be the first-line, second-line, and 

third-line treatments for acne?

Does response to second-line therapy depend on 

prior length of time with acne and response to 

first-line treatment?

At what point in the treatment process should men

receive isoretinoin (Accutane)?

At what point in the treatment process should 

women receive isoretinoin (Accutane)?

At what point in the treatment process should a 

patient be referred to a dermatologist?

What are the frequencies of side effects of 

treatment?

Does the type of acne remain constant within an 

individual?

To what extent does antibiotic resistance develop 

in patients treated with oral or topical antibiotics 

for acne?

What are patient preferences regarding acne 

treatment?

How cost-effective are different acne treatment 

strategies?

How should patients with acne be treated in 

whom isoretinoin (Accutane) fails?

How should post-treatment scarring and 

hyperpigmentation be treated?

2. Please write any further questions, their importance, data availability, and sense of the answer:

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3. We will be searching MEDLINE, COCHRANE, HEALTHSTAR, and PSYCHINFO. Do you have any further suggestions for searching?

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4. How would you or your group use the evidence report? Please check all that apply.

___ For internal guideline                            

___ For collaborative guideline with other organizations

___ Disseminating management plan        

___ Other (please specify) ________________________________________________________  ___ Other (please specify) ________________________________________________________    

___ Other (please specify) ________________________________________________________  

5. Complete by (Name, phone, fax, and email, if we don't already have them): 

	_____________________________________________________________________________

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