How Dr. Krasnova reviews medical evidence

Reviewed by Dr. Margarita Krasnova, MD · Last reviewed 2026-05-22

What an Evidence Review is

An Evidence Review is a structured look at the medical studies I can currently access on a single clinical question. I gather relevant sources, assess what they report, and summarize what they collectively suggest in plain language. Each review describes its own scope, search approach, and limitations. The goal is to show my work: which question I asked, what I found, and how confident the findings are. Each Evidence Review backs a patient-friendly Clinical Answer so you can see the reasoning behind the summary.

What an Evidence Review is not

An Evidence Review is not a Cochrane review, and it is not peer-reviewed journal research. It does not claim to capture every study ever published on a topic, and it should never be read as personalized medical advice. It is a structured reading of the currently accessible evidence by one physician — useful for understanding the landscape, but not a substitute for a conversation about your own care.

The limitations I acknowledge

Being honest about the boundaries of this work matters more than appearing complete. Each Evidence Review carries these limitations:

• Access to full text — I use openly available articles and have also paid for access to some articles. Access limitations may still affect which studies can be reviewed. Where a finding relies on an abstract or a published review rather than the original full text, that source level is identified in the review.
• Single reviewer — I read and summarize the studies myself. There is no second independent reviewer cross-checking every inclusion decision.
• Search scope — Search methods vary by review. Some include targeted searches and reference checking, but none should be assumed to capture every relevant study. The methods section describes the approach used for that question.
• Source types in these reviews — Reviews may draw on original research, published evidence syntheses, abstracts, and clinical guidance. Preliminary findings, including conference abstracts, are identified as such. A study protocol describes planned research and does not establish treatment effects without results.

How to read an Evidence Review

Start with the Clinical Answer for the plain-language summary, then open the linked Evidence Review for the detail. Read its methods, source list, and limitations to understand the evidence considered. Search-record counts, cited references, and included studies describe different things and should not be treated as interchangeable. Pay attention to the hedging language: when the evidence is mixed or early, the review says so rather than overstating certainty. The findings describe groups of patients in studies — your individual situation may point in a different direction.

How often reviews are refreshed

Medical evidence changes over time. Each Evidence Review shows a "Last reviewed" date so you can see how current it is. I revisit reviews periodically and when notable new evidence appears on a question. A dated review is not automatically out of date, but the date tells you when the reading reflected the literature I could access.

My commitment to you

I write these reviews myself, in my own words, and I take responsibility for what they say. I will state what the evidence supports, name what it does not, and acknowledge where I am uncertain. When a review changes a previous understanding, I will say so plainly rather than frame it as a revelation. My aim is to help you make informed decisions in partnership with me — not to replace that partnership.

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