title: A Systematic Review of Completeness of Reporting in Randomized Controlled Trials in Dermatologic Surgery: Adherence to CONSORT 2010 Recommendations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard for comparing safety and effectiveness of surgical interventions. Reporting guidelines are available for conveying the results of such trials.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess adherence to standard reporting guidelines among randomized controlled trials in dermatologic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review. Data source was randomized controlled trials in the journal Dermatologic Surgery, per PubMed search, 1995 to 2014. Studies were appraised for the number of the 37 CONSORT 2010 Checklist criteria reported in each. Analysis included comparison of reporting across 4 consecutive periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred sixty-three studies were eligible. The mean number of items reported per study increased monotonically from 14.5 in 1995 to 1999 to 16.2 in 2002 to 2004, 17.7 in 2005 to 2009, and 18.0 in 2010 to 2014 (p < .0001). A limitation was that study procedures may have been performed without being reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Completeness of reporting in randomized controlled trials in dermatologic surgery has improved significantly during the preceding 2 decades. Some elements are still reported at lower rates.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Dermatology, †Otolaryngology, and ‡Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; §Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York; ‖Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, California; ¶Department of Dermatology, St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri; #Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; **Department of Dermatology, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Murad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: Mutahir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rauf
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Parth
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Daniel I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Schlessinger
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Schaeffer
authors.forename: Simon S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Kira
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minkis
authors.forename: Shang I Brian
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.forename: Joseph F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sobanko
authors.forename: Todd V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Cartee
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poon
mesh_terms: D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D058028:Research Report / Q000592:standards*