Effects of the search technique on the measurement of the change in quality of randomized controlled trials over time in the field of brain injury.
BACKGROUND
To determine if the search technique that is used to sample randomized controlled trial (RCT) manuscripts from a field of medical science can influence the measurement of the change in quality over time in that field.


METHODS
RCT manuscripts in the field of brain injury were identified using two readily-available search techniques: (1) a PubMed MEDLINE search, and (2) the Cochrane Injuries Group (CIG) trials registry. Seven criteria of quality were assessed in each manuscript and related to the year-of-publication of the RCT manuscripts by regression analysis.


RESULTS
No change in the frequency of reporting of any individual quality criterion was found in the sample of RCT manuscripts identified by the PubMed MEDLINE search. In the RCT manuscripts of the CIG trials registry, three of the seven criteria showed significant or near-significant increases over time.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated that measuring the change in quality over time of a sample of RCT manuscripts from the field of brain injury can be greatly affected by the search technique. This poorly recognized factor may make measurements of the change in RCT quality over time within a given field of medical science unreliable.
Borsody
Mark K
MK
Department of Neurology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. mborsody@hotmail.com
Yamada
Chisa
C
D015982:Bias; D015706:Bibliometrics; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008373:Manuscripts as Topic; D039781:PubMed; D011786:Quality Control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000145:classification / Q000592:standards*; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D013997:Time Factors