The use and abuse of multiple outcomes in randomized controlled depression trials.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Multiple outcomes are commonly analyzed in randomized trials. Interpretation of the results of trials with many outcomes is not always straightforward. We characterize the prevalence and factors associated with multiple outcomes in reports of clinical trials of depression, methods used to account for these outcomes, and concordance between published analyses and original protocol specifications.

Methods

A PubMed search for randomized controlled depression trials that included multiple outcomes published between January 2007 and October 2008 in 6 medical journals. Original study protocols were reviewed where available. Parallel data collection by 2 abstractors was used to determine trial registration information, the number of outcomes, and analytical method.

Res

SUBMITTER: Tyler KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3071542 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature