Use of Placebo and Nonoperative Control Groups in Surgical Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Nonspecific effects, particularly placebo effects, are thought to contribute significantly to the observed effect in surgical trials.

Objective

To estimate the proportion of the observed effect of surgical treatment that is due to nonspecific effects (including the placebo effect).

Data sources

Published Cochrane reviews and updated, extended search of MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL until March 2019.

Study selection

Published randomized placebo-controlled surgical trials and trials comparing the effect of the same surgical interventions with nonoperative controls (ie, no treatment, usual care, or exercise program).

Data extraction and synthesis

Pairs of authors independently screened the search results, assessed full texts to identify eligible s

SUBMITTER: Karjalainen T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9331086 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature