Impact Evaluation of CONSORT and STRICTA Guidelines on Reporting Quality for Randomized Controlled Trials of Acupuncture Conducted in China

• Published in: Chinese journal of integrative medicine Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 10 - 17
• Main Authors: Lu, Li-ming, He, Jun, Zeng, Jing-chun, Liao, Mu-xi, Jia, Chao, Pan, Hai-hua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2017
• Subjects: China; Guidelines as Topic; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic - standards; Research Report; Time Factors; 中国; 干预措施; 统一标准; 置信区间; 试验报告; 质量评价; 针灸治疗; 随机对照试验; acupuncture; Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA); randomized controlled trials; quality of reporting; Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement
• ISSN: 1672-0415; 1993-0402
• DOI: 10.1007/s11655-016-2451-z

Objective： To evaluate and compare the reports＇ qualities of acupuncture randomized controlled trials （RCTs） conducted in China before and after the implementation of two guidelines, i.e., the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials （CONSORT） statement and the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture （STRICTA）. Methods： Proportions of studies that reported CONSORT and STRICTA items were compared for the years before and after implementation of these two guidelines. In addition, the total score of each item＇s reporting were calculated and reported differences during different date ranges were compared. Results： For CONSORT items （maximum score 8）, there was evidence of a slight improvement in reporting between 1994-1995 and 1999-2000 combined （2.5 ± 0.6） and 2004-2006 and 2009-2010 combined （3.0 ± 0.9; difference 0.4, 95% confidence interval, 0.3 to 0.6, P〈0.01）. For STRICTA items （maximum score 17）, there was evidence that a slight improvement in reporting between 1994-1995 and 1999-2000 combined （8.6±2.1） and 2004-2005 and 2009-2010 combined （10.1 ±1.8; difference 1.5, 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 1.9, P〈0.01）. Conclusion： Quality of reporting for RCTs of acupuncture treatment conducted in China have generally improved since the introduction of the STRICTA and CONSORT guidelines.