Influence of reported study design characteristics on intervention effect estimates from randomised controlled trials: combined analysis of meta-epidemiological studies

• Published in: Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) Vol. 16; no. 35; p. 1
• Main Authors: Savović, J, Jones, HE, Altman, DG, Harris, RJ, Jűni, P, Pildal, J, Als-Nielsen, B, Balk, EM, Gluud, C, Gluud, LL, Ioannidis, JPA, Schulz, KF, Beynon, R, Welton, N, Wood, L, Moher, D, Deeks, JJ, Sterne, JAC
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England NIHR Journals Library 01.09.2012
• Subjects: allocation concealment; Bias; blinding; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Databases, Bibliographic; Epidemiologic Research Design; Humans; meta-analysis; Meta-Analysis as Topic; meta-epidemiological study; Outcome Assessment, Health Care - methods; Outcome Assessment, Health Care - standards; Outcome Assessment, Health Care - statistics & numerical data; randomisation; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic - standards; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic - statistics & numerical data; Reproducibility of Results

The design of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) should incorporate characteristics (such as concealment of randomised allocation and blinding of participants and personnel) that avoid biases resulting from lack of comparability of the intervention and control groups. Empirical evidence suggests th...