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Single-Port Robotic-assisted Transaxillary Breast-conserving Surgery: A Prospective, Single-arm, Non-randomized Phase IIa Clinical Trial
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719
Trial Registry Use in Surgery Systematic Reviews: A Cross-Sectional Study
Harrison M Gray1, Alainna Simpson2, Aaron Bowers1
1Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Journal of Surgical Research
|November 12, 2019
Summary
Many surgical systematic reviews miss unpublished trials by not searching clinical trial registries. Incorporating registry searches can improve comprehensive evidence synthesis and reduce publication bias in medical research.
Area of Science:
- Medical research methodology
- Evidence-based medicine
- Scientific publishing standards
Background:
- Systematic reviews are crucial for clinical decision-making.
- Comprehensive search strategies are vital for identifying all relevant studies, including unpublished ones.
- Clinical trial registries offer a key avenue for accessing unpublished trial data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the frequency of clinical trial registry searches in surgical systematic reviews.
- To determine if omitting registry searches leads to missed trials.
Main Methods:
- Systematic reviews were retrieved from leading surgery journals and the Cochrane Collaboration.
- Each review's search strategy was analyzed for the inclusion of bibliographic databases and clinical trial registries.
Main Results:
- Only 25.3% of 996 systematic reviews reported using clinical trial registry searches.
- Systematic reviews in surgery journals reported registry searches in only 6.4% of cases.
- Cochrane Collaboration reviews reported registry searches in 79.2% of cases.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of surgical systematic reviews may be subject to publication bias due to reliance on published data.
- Authors are encouraged to integrate clinical trial registry searches to access unpublished data.
- Improved search strategies enhance the completeness and accuracy of systematic reviews.
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