A Systematic Review of Completeness of Reporting in Randomized Controlled Trials in Dermatologic Surgery: Adherence to CONSORT 2010 Recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard for comparing safety and effectiveness of surgical interventions. Reporting guidelines are available for conveying the results of such trials.

OBJECTIVE: To assess adherence to standard reporting guidelines among randomized controlled trials in dermatologic surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systematic review. Data source was randomized controlled trials in the journal Dermatologic Surgery, per PubMed search, 1995 to 2014. Studies were appraised for the number of the 37 CONSORT 2010 Checklist criteria reported in each. Analysis included comparison of reporting across 4 consecutive periods.

RESULTS: Three hundred sixty-three studies were eligible. The mean number of items reported per study increased monotonically from 14.5 in 1995 to 1999 to 16.2 in 2002 to 2004, 17.7 in 2005 to 2009, and 18.0 in 2010 to 2014 (p < .0001). A limitation was that study procedures may have been performed without being reported.

CONCLUSION: Completeness of reporting in randomized controlled trials in dermatologic surgery has improved significantly during the preceding 2 decades. Some elements are still reported at lower rates.