Ethics reporting practices in randomized controlled trials of physical therapy interventions after stroke

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy
• Medical Ethics
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Adequate reporting of ethics-related research methods is crucial for advancing best practices in physical therapy.
• Existing studies on ethics reporting in physical therapy are limited and do not focus on stroke research.
• This study investigates ethics reporting in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for physical therapy interventions post-stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the reporting of multiple ethics-related features in stroke physical therapy RCTs.
• To analyze the variation in ethics reporting over time.
• To identify study characteristics associated with improved ethics reporting.

Main Methods:

• A random sample of RCTs published in 2004, 2009, and 2014 was extracted from PubMed.
• Data collected included publication year, trial registration, sample size, stroke details, intervention, outcomes, PEDro score, and journal impact factor.
• Ethics-related reporting was analyzed, and differences between groups were examined using multiple regression.

Main Results:

• Eighty RCTs were reviewed, showing significant differences in trial registration, impact factor, cognitive capacity assessment, and conflict of interest declarations.
• The proportion of reported ethics issues ranged from 92.5% (consent) to 0% (follow-up care).
• Ethics reporting significantly improved in 2014 compared to 2004; publication year and PEDro score predicted adequate reporting.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for increased rigor from authors, editors, and reviewers regarding ethics reporting in stroke physical therapy RCTs.
• Improved reporting of ethics-related methods is essential for enhancing the quality and trustworthiness of research.
• Continued focus on comprehensive ethics reporting will foster convergence on best ethical practices in the field.