Outcome reporting bias in Cochrane systematic reviews: a cross-sectional analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Discrepancies in outcome reporting (DOR) between protocol and published studies include inclusions of new outcomes, omission of prespecified outcomes, upgrade and downgrade of secondary and primary outcomes, and changes in definitions of prespecified outcomes. DOR can result in outcome reporting bias (ORB) when changes in outcomes occur after knowledge of results. This has potential to overestimate treatment effects and underestimate harms. This can also occur at the level of systematic reviews when changes in outcomes occur after knowledge of results of included studies. The prevalence of DOR and ORB in systematic reviews is unknown in systematic reviews published post-2007.

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of DOR and risk of ORB in all Cochrane reviews betwe

SUBMITTER: Shah K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7076244 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature