Sex as a Biological Variable in Emergency Medicine Research and Clinical Practice: A Brief Narrative Review.

Abstract

The National Institutes of Health recently highlighted the significant role of sex as a biological variable (SABV) in research design, outcome and reproducibility, mandating that this variable be accounted for in all its funded research studies. This move has resulted in a rapidly increasing body of literature on SABV with important implications for changing the clinical practice of emergency medicine (EM). Translation of this new knowledge to the bedside requires an understanding of how sex-based research will ultimately impact patient care. We use three case-based scenarios in acute myocardial infarction, acute ischemic stroke and important considerations in pharmacologic therapy administration to highlight available data on SABV in evidence-based research to provide the EM community with an important foundation for future integration of patient sex in the delivery of emergency care as gaps in research are filled.

• Authors: Alyson J McGregor, Gillian A Beauchamp, Charles R Wira 3rd, Sarah M Perman, Basmah Safdar
• Journal: The western journal of emergency medicine (West J Emerg Med) Vol. 18 Issue 6 Pg. 1079-1090 (Oct 2017) ISSN: 1936-9018 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 29085541 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Topics

• Biomedical Research
• Diagnosis
• Emergency Medical Services (methods)
• Emergency Medicine (standards)
• Epidemiologic Research Design
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Myocardial Infarction (therapy)
• National Institutes of Health (U.S.)
• Reproducibility of Results
• Sex Factors
• Stroke (therapy)
• United States
• Wounds and Injuries (therapy)