I would like to bring to your attention an error that has been transmitted through the SESAP question published in the February 2004 issue of CJS (Can J Surg 2004; 47: 56). The answer suggests that there is no role for the use of corticosteroids in reducing mortality related to acute acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); the supporting reference is a textbook from 1997. I would direct readers to a more recent (though not new) randomized controlled trial of high-dose corticosteroids in ARDS.1 To put the data in perspective, Canadian authors have also published a review of the topic.2
The correct answer should be B.
The SESAP questions are a good way to incite interest in a topic. However, in our current information explosion it is important for readers to question references, especially textbooks. The current series in JAMA of Users’ Guides to the Medical Literature is a useful aid in this evaluation. Participation in the online learning tool, Evidence Based Reviews in Surgery, available through the Web site of the Canadian Association of General Surgeons (http://cags.medical.org), can also help surgeons evaluate the evidence and support best practice.