TY - JOUR
T1 - Reporting quality of abstracts of veterinary randomized controlled trials
AU - Maranville, Rachel E.
AU - Popken, Andrea K.
AU - Reynders, Reint Meursinge
AU - Brandão, João
AU - di Girolamo, Nicola
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 American Veterinary Medical Association. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - OBJECTIVE To evaluate the adherence of veterinary randomized controlled trial (RCT) abstracts to the recommendations on minimum abstract information included in the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist for RCT abstracts and to identify characteristics associated with the number of CONSORT items reported. SAMPLE 212 abstracts representing all RCTs published in 5 general veterinary journals in 2013 and 2018. PROCEDURES 2 investigators independently assessed whether each of the 15 CONSORT checklist items for abstracts applicable to veterinary medicine was reported. Generalized linear mixed models were built to explore associations of selected variables with the total number of checklist items reported. RESULTS Abstracts included a median of 5 checklist items (range, 2 to 10 items). None met the recommendations for reporting participant recruitment and funding source. Less than 25% of abstracts met the recommendations for the title, participant eligibility criteria, primary outcome, randomization technique, blinding, numbers analyzed, primary outcome results, and harms to participants. The number of items reported was higher in abstracts of RCTs that included clinical patients (vs other participants; OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.22). The number of items reported did not significantly change over time. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that the reporting quality of abstracts of RCTs in general veterinary journals was suboptimal per CONSORT recommendations. Because abstracts may be the only reference material available in certain settings, improvements are warranted to ensure readers have the information they need to properly interpret reported findings.
AB - OBJECTIVE To evaluate the adherence of veterinary randomized controlled trial (RCT) abstracts to the recommendations on minimum abstract information included in the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist for RCT abstracts and to identify characteristics associated with the number of CONSORT items reported. SAMPLE 212 abstracts representing all RCTs published in 5 general veterinary journals in 2013 and 2018. PROCEDURES 2 investigators independently assessed whether each of the 15 CONSORT checklist items for abstracts applicable to veterinary medicine was reported. Generalized linear mixed models were built to explore associations of selected variables with the total number of checklist items reported. RESULTS Abstracts included a median of 5 checklist items (range, 2 to 10 items). None met the recommendations for reporting participant recruitment and funding source. Less than 25% of abstracts met the recommendations for the title, participant eligibility criteria, primary outcome, randomization technique, blinding, numbers analyzed, primary outcome results, and harms to participants. The number of items reported was higher in abstracts of RCTs that included clinical patients (vs other participants; OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.22). The number of items reported did not significantly change over time. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that the reporting quality of abstracts of RCTs in general veterinary journals was suboptimal per CONSORT recommendations. Because abstracts may be the only reference material available in certain settings, improvements are warranted to ensure readers have the information they need to properly interpret reported findings.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100503162&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.2460/JAVMA.258.3.303
DO - https://doi.org/10.2460/JAVMA.258.3.303
M3 - Article
C2 - 33496621
SN - 0003-1488
VL - 258
SP - 303
EP - 309
JO - Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
JF - Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
IS - 3
ER -