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Quality evaluation of randomized controlled trials on complementary and alternative medicine
Kasil Oh1, Keum-Soon Kim2, Jee-Won Park3
1College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Asian Nursing Research
|July 18, 2014
Summary
This review of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) randomized clinical trials found methodological quality is improving, though Korean studies scored lower than international ones. More rigorous research is needed for evidence-based CAM practice.
Area of Science:
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Clinical Trials
- Research Methodology
Background:
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) encompasses diverse therapeutic practices.
- Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are crucial for establishing evidence-based practice.
- Assessing the methodological quality of CAM RCTs is essential for evaluating their reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the research characteristics of CAM RCTs.
- To analyze the methodological quality of CAM RCTs.
- To compare the quality of Korean and international CAM RCTs.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 76 CAM RCTs published between 2000 and 2005.
- Analysis using researcher-developed criteria based on Jadad guidelines.
- Inclusion of 16 Korean and 60 international studies.
Main Results:
- Most studies were in medicine, nursing, and CAM, with over 80% involving patients.
- Common CAM modalities included energy medicine, mind-body medicine, and manipulative practices.
- High rates of randomization (93.4%) and dropout reporting (90.8%) were observed, but allocation concealment (49.3%) and double-blinding (18.9%) were low.
- Overall methodological quality was satisfactory, with international studies (3.37) scoring higher than Korean studies (2.87).
Conclusions:
- Methodological objectivity in CAM research is improving despite ongoing scientific debate.
- Korean CAM studies require more rigorous experimental designs.
- Enhanced research quality is necessary to build robust evidence-based practice in CAM.
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