You can use this PHP to get the top users:
global $qa_db;
$users=qa_db_single_select($qa_db, qa_db_top_users_selectspec(0));
In more detail, you want the something like the following in the qa-theme.php file in your theme:
<?php
class qa_html_theme extends qa_html_theme_base
{
function sidepanel()
{
global $qa_db;
qa_html_theme_base::sidepanel();
$users=qa_db_single_select($qa_db, qa_db_top_users_selectspec(0));
foreach ($users as $user)
$this->output('<P>'.qa_get_one_user_html($user['handle'], false).
' ('.number_format($user['points']).')</P>');
}
}
?>