Exclusion rates in randomized controlled trials of treatments for physical conditions: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The generalisability of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) can be uncertain because the impact of exclusion criteria is rarely quantified. The aim of this study was to systematically review studies examining the percentage of clinical populations with a physical health condition who would be excluded by RCTs of treatments for that condition.

Methods

Medline and Embase were searched from inception to Feb 11th 2018. Two reviewers independently completed screening, full-text review, data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients in the clinical population who would have been excluded from each examined trial. Subgroup analyses examined exclusion by population setting, publication date and funding source.

Results

SUBMITTER: He J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7045589 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature