Example of a scope/topic search (MEDLINE)

Lines 1-55 are the MeSH terms and text words [words found in the TITLE or ABSTRACT of a record] for the health care condition within the scope of the Group.  They are combined used OR, and in this example, NOT.

Lines 56-65 are one of the Cochrane filters for finding RCTs in MEDLINE (OVID)

Line 66 is the results of the scope search combining the health care condition set and the RCT filter set.

1. exp Skin Ulcer/
2. exp Leg Ulcer/
3. exp Foot Ulcer/
4. exp Diabetic Foot/
5. exp Pressure Ulcer/
6. exp Pilonidal Sinus/
7. exp Wounds, Penetrating/
8. exp Lacerations/
9. exp Burns/
10. exp Wound Infection/
11. exp Surgical Wound Dehiscence/
12. exp "Bites and Stings"/
13. exp Cicatrix/
14. exp Wound Healing/
15. exp Abscess/
16. exp Soft Tissue Infections/
17. exp Methicillin Resistance/
18. exp Vancomycin Resistance/
19. ((plantar or diabetic or heel$ or foot or feet or ischaemic or ischemic or venous or varicose orstasis or arterial or decubitus or pressure or skin or leg or mixed or tropical or rheumatoid or sickle cell) adj5 (wound$ or ulcer$)).ti,ab.
20. (bedsore$ or bed sore$).ti,ab.
21. (pilonidal sinus$ or pilonidal cyst$).ti,ab.
22. (cavity wound$ or sinus wound$).ti,ab.
23. (laceration$ or gunshot or stab or stabbing or stabbed or bite$).ti,ab.
24. (burn or burns or burned or scald$).ti,ab.
25. (surg$ adj5 wound$).ti,ab.
26. (surg$ adj5 infection$).ti,ab.
27. (surg$ adj5 site$).ti,ab.
28. (surg$ adj5 incision$).ti,ab.
29. (wound adj5 infect$).ti,ab.
30. (malignant wound$ or experimental wound$ or traumatic wound$).ti,ab.
31. (infusion site$ or donor site$ or wound site$).ti,ab.
32. (skin abscess$ or skin abcess$).ti,ab.
33. (hypertrophic scar$ or keloid$ or cicatrix).ti,ab.
34. (((methicillin or meticillin) adj resistan$) or MRSA).ti,ab.
35. (vancomycin resistan$ or VRE).ti,ab.
36. or/1-35
37. exp *Peptic Ulcer/
38. exp *Colitis, Ulcerative/
39. exp *Eye Infections/
40. exp *Corneal Ulcer/
41. exp *Dentistry/
42. exp *Tooth Diseases/
43. exp *Oral Ulcer/
44. peptic ulcer$.ti.
45. duodenal ulcer$.ti.
46. stomach ulcer$.ti.
47. corneal ulcer$.ti.
48. (ulcer$ adj colit$).ti.
49. gastric ulcer$.ti.
50. (dental or peridontal).ti.
51. aortocaval fistula$.ti.
52. arteriovenous fistula$.ti.
53. (snake$ or mosquito$).ti.
54. or/37-53
55. 36 not 54
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56. randomized controlled trial.pt.
57. controlled clinical trial.pt.
58. randomized.ab.
59. placebo.ab.
60. clinical trials as topic.sh.
61. randomly.ab.
62. trial.ti.
63. or/56-62
64. (animals not (humans and animals)).sh.
65. 63 not 64
66. 55 and 65