External validity of randomized clinical trials in vascular surgery: systematic review of demographic factors of patients recruited to randomized clinical trials with comparison to the National Vascular Registry.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Evidence-based medicine relies on randomized clinical trials, which should represent the patients encountered in clinical practice. Characteristics of patients recruited to randomized clinical trials involving vascular index operations (carotid endarterectomy, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, infrainguinal bypass and major lower limb amputations) were compared with those recorded in the National Vascular Registry across England and Wales.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, clinicaltrials.gov and World Health Organization International Trials Registry Platform (CRD42021247905) were searched for randomized clinical trials involving the index operations. Demographic (age, sex, ethnicity) and clinical (co-morbidities, medications, body mass index, smok

SUBMITTER: Cutteridge J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11921775 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature