Abstract
BackgroundAdequate reporting is crucial in full-text publications but even more so in abstracts because they are the most frequently read part of a publication. In 2008, an extension for abstracts of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT-A) statement was published, defining which items should be reported in abstracts of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Therefore, we compared the adherence of RCT abstracts to CONSORT-A before and after the publication of CONSORT-A.MethodsRCTs published in the five surgical journals with the highest impact factor were identified through PubMed for 2005–2007 and 2014–2016. Adherence to 15 CONSORT-A items and two additional items for abstracts of non-pharmacological trials was assessed in duplicate. We compared the overall adherence to CONSORT-A between the two time periods using an unpaired t test and explored adherence to specific items.ResultsA total of 192 and 164 surgical RCT abstracts were assessed (2005–2007 and 2014–2016, respectively). In the pre-CONSORT-A phase, the mean score of adequately reported items was 6.14 (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.90–6.38) and 8.11 in the post-CONSORT-A phase (95% CI 7.83–8.39; mean difference 1.97, 95% CI 1.60–2.34; p < 0.0001). The comparison of individual items indicated a significant improvement in 9 of the 15 items. The three least reported items in the post-CONSORT-A phase were randomization (2.4%), blinding (13.4%), and funding (0.0%). Specific items for non-pharmacological trials were rarely reported (approximately 10%).ConclusionThe reporting in abstracts of surgical RCTs has improved after the implementation of CONSORT-A. More importantly, there is still ample room for improvement.
Highlights
MethodsThere is great agreement that randomized controlled trials (RCTs) produce the most reliable evidence about the benefits and risks of newly developed or already existing clinical interventions, leading to better care for patients [1,2,3]
In 2008, an extension for abstracts of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT-A) statement was published, defining which items should be reported in abstracts of randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
We aim to evaluate the quality of reporting in journal abstracts of RCTs in the top ranked surgical journals before CONSORT-A was published and after publication
Summary
MethodsThere is great agreement that randomized controlled trials (RCTs) produce the most reliable evidence about the benefits and risks of newly developed or already existing clinical interventions, leading to better care for patients [1,2,3]. There have been considerable efforts to improve the quality of reporting of individual research studies. This challenge has been tackled with the development of reporting guidelines which provide structured advice on the minimum information needed in a research article to allow readers an adequate assessment of the study methodology, relevance and validity of the research findings. The last update of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) Statement, the most important reporting guideline intended to improve the transparency and quality of RCT reporting, was published simultaneously in 10 leading medical journals in 2010 [10].
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