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Pityriasis versicolor: quality of studies
A K Gupta1, K Nicol, A Johnson
1Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Science Center, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. agupta@execulink.com
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment
|February 3, 2004
Summary
This study found no correlation between the quality of published research on pityriasis versicolor treatments and how often those studies were cited. High-quality study design is crucial for accurate efficacy rates in fungal infection research.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Medical Mycology
- Clinical Research Methodology
Background:
- Pityriasis versicolor is a common superficial fungal infection.
- Evaluating the quality of published treatment studies is essential for evidence-based practice.
- Citation counts are often used as a proxy for research impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the quality of published literature on pityriasis versicolor treatments.
- To determine if there is a relationship between study quality and citation frequency.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE (1966-2002) for pityriasis versicolor treatment studies.
- Two independent reviewers assessed study quality using predefined criteria (e.g., randomization, blinding, sample size, clarity of methods, efficacy parameters).
- Citation counts were obtained from the ISI Web of Science Database.
Main Results:
- Ninety-four studies were analyzed.
- Sixty-five percent (61/94) of the studies were classified as high-quality (score ≥ 8).
- No statistically significant correlation was found between the quality score of a study and its citation count.
Conclusions:
- High-quality study protocols are vital for accurate reporting of treatment efficacy rates in pityriasis versicolor.
- Clear communication of trial design and conduct is necessary for meaningful comparisons across studies.
- Clinicians and researchers should be aware of study quality when interpreting findings on fungal infection treatments.