Abstract
Objective
Data Sources
Study Selection
Data Extraction
Data Synthesis
Conclusions
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials), IF (impact factor), RCT (randomized controlled trial), RG (reporting guideline), ROB (risk of bias), RoB 2 (risk-of-bias tool 2.0)Methods
Clarivate. Journal citation report. Availabile at https://jcr.clarivate.com. Accessed March 28, 2020.
Study selection criteria
Study selection process
Random.org. Random sequence generator. Availabile at https://www.random.org/sequences/. Accessed February 15, 2021.
Clarivate. Journal citation report. Availabile at https://jcr.clarivate.com. Accessed March 28, 2020.

Data extraction
Methods for extracting data and assessing the completeness of reporting
Methods for extracting data and assessing the risk of bias
Data analysis
Results
Adherence to the CONSORT checklist
CONSORT Items | Studies Where Item Was Not Applicable (n) | Mean Adherence (%) Calculated in Studies Where Item Was Applicable | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Title and abstract | ||||
1a | Identification as a randomized trial in the title | 0 | 95 | |
1b | Structured summary of trial design, methods, results, and conclusions (for specific guidance see CONSORT for abstracts) | 0 | 99 | |
Introduction | ||||
Background and objectives | 2a | Scientific background and explanation of rationale | 0 | 100 |
2b | Specific objectives or hypotheses | 0 | 98 | |
Methods | ||||
Trial design | 3a | Description of trial design (such as parallel, factorial) including allocation ratio | 0 | 11 |
3b | Important changes to methods after trial commencement (such as eligibility criteria), with reasons | 195 | 60 | |
Participants | 4a | Eligibility criteria for participants | 0 | 97 |
4b | Settings and locations where the data were collected | 0 | 67 | |
Interventions | 5 | The interventions for each group with sufficient details to allow replication, including how and when they were actually administered | 0 | 83 |
Outcomes | 6a | Completely defined prespecified primary and secondary outcome measures, including how and when they were assessed | 0 | 66 |
6b | Any changes to trial outcomes after the trial commenced, with reasons | 193 | 43 | |
Sample size | 7a | How sample size was determined | 0 | 56 |
7b | When applicable, explanation of any interim analyses and stopping guidelines | 196 | 25 | |
Sequence generation | 8a | Method used to generate the random allocation sequence | 0 | 57 |
8b | Type of randomization; details of any restriction (such as blocking and block size) | 0 | 36 | |
Allocation concealment mechanism | 9 | Mechanism used to implement the random allocation sequence (such as sequentially numbered containers), describing any steps taken to conceal the sequence until interventions were assigned | 8 | 36 |
Implementation | 10 | Who generated the random allocation sequence, who enrolled participants, and who assigned participants to interventions | 0 | 25 |
Blinding | 11a | If done, who was blinded after assignment to interventions (eg, participants, care providers, those assessing outcomes) and how | 23 | 66 |
11b | If relevant, description of the similarity of interventions | 142 | 83 | |
Statistical methods | 12a | Statistical methods used to compare groups for primary and secondary outcomes | 0 | 83 |
12b | Methods for additional analyses, such as subgroup analyses and adjusted analyses | 175 | 44 | |
Results | ||||
Participant flow | 13a | For each group, the numbers of participants who were randomly assigned, received intended treatment, and were analyzed for the primary outcome | 0 | 82 |
13b | For each group, losses and exclusions after randomization, together with reasons | 24 | 70 | |
Recruitment | 14a | Dates defining the periods of recruitment and follow-up | 0 | 50 |
14b | Why the trial ended or was stopped | 184 | 0 | |
Baseline data | 15 | A table showing baseline demographic and clinical characteristics for each group | 0 | 90 |
Numbers analyzed | 16 | For each group, number of participants (denominator) included in each analysis and whether the analysis was by original assigned groups | 0 | 62 |
Outcomes and estimation | 17a | For each primary and secondary outcome, results for each group, and the estimated effect size and its precision (such as 95% CI) | 0 | 66 |
17b | For binary outcomes, presentation of both absolute and relative effect sizes is recommended | 188 | 75 | |
Ancillary analyses | 18 | Results of any other analyses performed, including subgroup analyses and adjusted analyses, distinguishing prespecified from exploratory | 177 | 57 |
Harms | 19 | All important harms or unintended effects in each group (for specific guidance see CONSORT for harms) | 57 | 34 |
Discussion | ||||
Limitations | 20 | Trial limitations, addressing sources of potential bias, imprecision, and, if relevant, multiplicity of analyses | 0 | 82 |
Generalizability | 21 | Generalizability (external validity, applicability) of the trial findings | 0 | 67 |
Interpretation | 22 | Interpretation consistent with results, balancing benefits and harms, and considering other relevant evidence | 0 | 93 |
Other Information | ||||
Registration | 23 | Registration number and name of trial registry | 0 | 38 |
Protocol | 24 | Where the full trial protocol can be accessed, if available | 20 | 21 |
Funding | 25 | Sources of funding and other support (such as supply of drugs), role of funders | 0 | 52 |


Relationship between completeness of reporting and risk of bias
ROB | D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low | High | Differences | Low | High | Differences | Low | High | Differences | Low | High | Differences | Low | High | Differences | |
CONSORT | Adherence (%) | ||||||||||||||
Title and abstract | 99.0 | 92.9 | −6.1 | 97.5 | 92.3 | −5.2 | 96.2 | 96.9 | 0.7 | 96.5 | 100.0 | 3.5 | 97.4 | 95.0 | −2.4 |
Introduction | 99.0 | 97.6 | −1.4 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 98.6 | 98.4 | −0.2 | 99.2 | 100.0 | 0.8 | 98.7 | 100.0 | 1.3 |
Methods | 65.7 | 46.5 | −19.2 | 65.2 | 47.7 | −17.5 | 59.1 | 51.2 | −7.9 | 58.5 | 55.2 | −3.3 | 61.6 | 47.1 | −14.5 |
Results | 73.1 | 48.8 | −24.3 | 76.2 | 49.2 | −27.0 | 67.9 | 56.3 | −11.6 | 67.6 | 55.8 | −11.8 | 74.1 | 45.5 | −28.6 |
Discussion | 84.1 | 82.5 | −1.6 | 89.3 | 76.9 | −12.4 | 80.0 | 82.3 | 2.3 | 82.8 | 70.0 | −12.8 | 82.0 | 63.3 | −18.7 |
Other information | 43.9 | 26.6 | −17.3 | 43.5 | 29.5 | −14.0 | 37.6 | 31.3 | −6.3 | 41.3 | 27.0 | −14.3 | 49.9 | 20.0 | −29.9 |
Overall Adherence | 71.6 | 55.3 | −16.3 | 72.6 | 55.7 | −16.9 | 66.3 | 60.0 | −6.3 | 66.8 | 60.2 | −6.6 | 70.4 | 52.9 | −17.5 |
Variable | Unstandardized β (95% CI) | SE β | Standardized β | P Value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary analysis | ||||
Constant | 70.73 (67.00 to 73.47) | 1.39 | <.001 | |
Risk of bias (D1 low vs D1 high) | −6.86 (−12.34 to −1.39) | 2.77 | −0.18 | .014 |
Risk of bias (D2 low vs D2 high) | −6.99 (−12.67 to −1.28) | 2.89 | −0.18 | .017 |
Risk of bias (D3 low vs D3 high) | 1.14 (−4.64 to 6.92) | 2.93 | 0.03 | .698 |
Risk of bias (D4 low vs D4 high) | 0.23 (−6.55 to 7.02) | 3.44 | 0.01 | .946 |
Risk of bias (D5 low vs D5 high) | −9.09 (−18.35 to 0.17) | 4.70 | −0.13 | .054 |
Overall risk of bias (low vs high) | −5.46 (−10.91 to −0.02) | 2.76 | −0.18 | .049 |
R2=0.20 | ||||
Secondary analysis | ||||
Constant | 60.90 (54.35 to 67.45) | 3.32 | <.001 | |
Quartile (Q1 vs Q4) | −11.76 (−17.13 to −6.4) | 2.72 | −0.34 | <.001 |
Quartile (Q1 vs Q3) | −7.20 (−12.25 to −2.15) | 2.56 | −0.21 | .005 |
Quartile (Q1 vs Q2) | −4.36 (−9.38 to 0.66) | 2.54 | −0.12 | .088 |
Year of publication | 1.17 (0.5 to 1.84) | 0.34 | 0.21 | .001 |
Publication options (hybrid vs open access) | 0.26 (−5.1 to 5.61) | 2.72 | 0.01 | .925 |
Protocol registration (yes vs no) | 10.25 (6.21 to 14.29) | 2.05 | 0.33 | <.001 |
R2=0.32 |
Secondary analysis
Discussion
All Trials. The AllTrials campaign. Availabile at: https://www.alltrials.net. Accessed July 18, 2021.
Study limitations
Conclusions
Supplier
- a.EndNote X7; Thomas Reuters, Philadelphia, PA.
Appendix. Supplementary materials
References
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