On Doctoring MEDLINE searches, with reference librarian comments, March 2000

The question was

Dosage utilization of warfarin in the treatment of atrial fibrilation

1     Atrial fibrillation/dt [Drug Therapy]    results=1127   
2    Warfarin/    results=2366   
3     1 and 2    results=175   
4     limit 3 to (human and english language)    results=158   
5     Drug Utilization/    results=3209   
6     4 and 5    results= 13   
7     from 6 keep 1-13    results=13   

Reference Librarian comments

Good job. I would almost always "explode" the subject-headings, but I think you found what you wanted to find.

I'm not EXACTLY sure what you mean by "dosage utilization," but I'm sure you do.

I'm not why -- but I found myself fretting over that phrase.

In set #5, you used "drug utilization," and I checked with MEDLINE's definition of that term. It said:

MeSH HEADING: DRUG UTILIZATION

SCOPE: The utilization of drugs as reported in individual hospital studies,
FDA studies, marketing, or consumption, etc. This includes drug stockpiling,
and patient drug profiles.

NOTE: not for "use" in ther from patient's viewpoint ( = drug /ther
use): for use by MDs, hosp, clinics, pharmacies, localities, etc.; includes
over-use or over-prescription of a drug or drugs by a physician

Anyway, let's not belabor the point. I played with the search a little bit, and did it like this (below). I get a little less than you do in set #1, because I chose to "focus" the subject heading. And then I get way less in set #2, because I decided to both "focus" and also limit to "administration & dosage" and "pharmacokinetics" aspects.

Medline 1991 to January 2000

#
Search History
Results
1
exp *Atrial fibrillation/dt [Drug Therapy]
695
2
exp *Warfarin/ad,pk [Administration & Dosage,
Pharmacokinetics]
283
3
1 and 2
12