Validation of a new tool for the assessment of study quality and reporting in exercise training studies: TESTEX.
BACKGROUND
Several established tools are available to assess study quality and reporting of randomized controlled trials; however, these tools were designed with clinical intervention trials in mind. In exercise training intervention trials some of the traditional study quality criteria, such as participant or researcher blinding, are extremely difficult to implement.


METHODS
We developed the Tool for the assEssment of Study qualiTy and reporting in EXercise (TESTEX) - a study quality and reporting assessment tool, designed specifically for use in exercise training studies. Our tool is a 15-point scale (5 points for study quality and 10 points for reporting) and addresses previously unmentioned quality assessment criteria specific to exercise training studies.


RESULTS
There were no systematic differences between the summated TESTEX scores of each observer [H(2)=0.392, P=0.822]. There was a significant association between the summated TESTEX scores of the three observers, with almost perfect agreement between observers 1 and 2 [intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82-0.97, P<0.001], observers 1 and 3 (ICC= 0.96, 95% CI 0.89-0.98, P<0.001) and observers 2 and 3 (ICC=0.91, 95% CI 0.75-0.96, P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The TESTEX scale is a new, reliable tool, specific to exercise scientists, that facilitates a comprehensive review of exercise training trials.
1University of New England, School of Science and Technology, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia 2Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Division of Internal Medicine and Cardiac Rehabilitation, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy 3University of Leuven, KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Leuven, Belgium.
Neil A
NA
Smart
Mark
M
Waldron
Hashbullah
H
Ismail
Francesco
F
Giallauria
Carlo
C
Vigorito
Veronique
V
Cornelissen
Gudrun
G
Dieberg
D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods