title: Assessment of the quality of reporting in randomised controlled trials of acupuncture in the Korean literature using the CONSORT statement and STRICTA guidelines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to assess the completeness of reporting of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture in the Korean literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched 12 Korean databases and 7 Korean journals to identify eligible RCTs of acupuncture published from 1996 to July 2011. We used the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist for parallel RCTs and the revised STandards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) to assess the quality of reporting in Korean RCTs. We compared the completeness of reporting of CONSORT and STRICTA items in RCTs published in two time periods (1996-2004 referred to as the early period and 2005-2011 referred to as the late period).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analysed 146 eligible RCTs using the CONSORT statement concerning RCTs of both needling and non-needling acupuncture and the STRICTA guidelines for 90 trials of needling acupuncture. Among the 103 RCTs in the late period, the proportion of RCTs that completely reported the CONSORT items of outcome definition (15.5%), sample size calculation (2.9%), randomisation (56%), allocation concealment (5.8%), implementation of allocation (11.7%), outcome assessor blinding (20.3%), flow of participants (25.2%), number of participants analysed (19.4%), ancillary analyses (0.0%), adverse events (24.3%), generalisability of findings (1.9%) and overall evidence (32.0%) remained small. Among the 61 RCTs of needling acupuncture in the late period, the STRICTA items of setting/context (24.6%) and practitioner background (27.9%) showed incomplete reporting. The completeness of reporting improved over time in several CONSORT and STRICTA items.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The completeness of reporting of Korean RCTs of acupuncture was suboptimal according to the CONSORT and revised STRICTA statements. Trial authors and journal editors should use the CONSORT statement and STRICTA guidelines for transparent reporting in Korean RCTs of acupuncture. The endorsement of the CONSORT and revised STRICTA statements in author instructions is also required.
authors: School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors: Kun Hyung
authors: KH
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Jung Won
authors: JW
authors: Kang
authors: Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors: Myeong Soo
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0987-9093
authors: MS
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Jae-Dong
authors: JD
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D011643:Publishing / Q000592:standards*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D058028:Research Report / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Complementary Medicine; Education & Training (see Medical Education & Training); Epidemiology