Quality of descriptions of treatments: a review of published randomised controlled trials.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To be useable in clinical practise, treatments studied in trials must provide sufficient information to enable clinicians and researchers to replicate. We sought to assess the completeness of treatment descriptions in published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using a checklist and to determine the extent to which peer reviewers and editors comment on the quality of reporting of treatments.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

Trials published in the BMJ, a general medical journal.

Participants

Fifty-one trials published in the BMJ were independently evaluated by two raters using a checklist. Reviewers' and editors' comments were also assessed for statements on treatment descriptions.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Proportion of

SUBMITTER: Schroter S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3533061 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature