title: A cohort study of summary reports of controlled trials.
abstract: Substantial numbers of clinical trials continue to be reported only in summary reports that present insufficient methodological details to permit informed judgments about the likely validity of the conclusions. Using a cohort of 176 controlled trials reported in summary form, we tested the hypotheses that they would be more likely to be followed by full reports if, on the basis of the information provided in the summary report, (1) the trial was judged to be methodologically sound, (2) the results favored the test treatment, and (3) the sample size was relatively large. The results of univariate and multivariate analyses provided support for only the third of these hypotheses. Investigators, as well as those who fund and sanction the conduct of clinical research, should make greater efforts to ensure that clinical trials are reported properly.
authors.affiliation: National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, England.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chalmers
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dickersin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hetherington
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tarnow-Mordi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meinert
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tonascia
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chalmers
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D011643:Publishing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015983:Selection Bias