title: Does the reporting of randomized clinical trials published in Chinese pediatrics journals improve after the CONSORT Statement is adopted?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no systematic assessment whether the quality of reporting has been improved since the CONSORT Statement was introduced into China in 1997. The aim of this study is to determine whether the use of the CONSORT Statement is associated with improved quality of reporting of RCTs published in Chinese pediatrics journals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six core Chinese pediatrics journals that included Journal of Clinical Pediatrics, Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics, Chinese Journal of Practical Pediatrics, Chinese Journal of Evidence-based Pediatrics, Chinese Journal of Pediatrics, and Chinese Journal of Pediatric Surgery were searched from inception through Dec. 2010. The CONSORT checklists were used to assess the quality of reporting. Data was collected using a standardized form. Analyses were performed using SPSS 15.0 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 619 RCTs were included. The quality of reporting has improved significantly in aspects such as introduction, recruitment, baseline data, and ancillary analyses (p<0.05), but not in several important methodological components, including sample size calculation (0.63% vs.1.08%), randomization sequence generation (3.18% vs. 7.58%), allocation concealment (0% vs. 1.08%), and blinding (0% vs. 0.87%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quality of reporting of RCTs has not significantly improved since the CONSORT Statement was introduced into China. The reporting remains poor, and often inadequate for assessment of the rigor of studies. Chinese pediatrics journals should reinforce the use of the CONSORT Statement in the reporting of trials.
authors: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Ma
authors: Fa-yong
authors: FY
authors: Ke
authors: Zhi-min
authors: ZM
authors: Chen
authors: Guo-qing
authors: GQ
authors: Qi
authors: Hai-min
authors: HM
authors: Li
authors: Wen-jie
authors: WJ
authors: Liu
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Qing
authors: Q
authors: Hu
authors: Ke-hu
authors: KH
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*