title: Assessment of reporting quality in randomised controlled trials of acupuncture for post-stroke rehabilitation using the CONSORT statement and STRICTA guidelines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the completeness of reporting of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for post-stroke rehabilitation in order to provide information to facilitate transparent and more complete reporting of acupuncture RCTs in this field.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple databases were searched from their inception through September 2015. Quality of reporting for included papers was assessed against a subset of criteria adapted from the Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 statement and the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines. Each item was scored 1 if it was reported, or 0 if it was not clearly stated. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Cohen's κ-statistics were calculated to assess agreement between the two reviewers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 87 RCTs were included in the full text. Based on CONSORT, good reporting was evident for items ''Randomised' in the title or abstract', 'Participants', 'Statistical methods', 'Recruitment', 'Baseline data', and 'Outcomes and estimation', with positive rates >80%. However, the quality of reporting for the items 'Trial design', 'Outcomes', 'Sample size', 'Allocation concealment', 'Implementation', 'Blinding', 'Flow chart', 'Intent-to-treat analysis', and 'Ancillary analyses' was very poor with positive rates <10%. Based on STRICTA, the items 'Number of needle insertions per subject per session', 'Responses sought', and 'Needle type' had poor reporting with positive rates <50%. Substantial agreement was observed for most items and good agreement was observed for some items.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reporting quality of RCTs in acupuncture for post-stroke rehabilitation is unsatisfactory and needs improvement.
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jingchun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guohua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, Guangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lixia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Unit of Methodology in Clinical Research, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, Guangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chuyun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D012107:Research Design; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000592:standards*
keywords: ACUPUNCTURE; STROKE