Selective Outcome Reporting Bias in Randomized Controlled Trials on Dental Caries in Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Research Study
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Selective outcome reporting (SOR) bias is prevalent in pediatric dental caries randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Over half of studies showed discrepancies between protocols and publications, indicating a need for greater research transparency.
Area Of Science
- Dentistry
- Clinical Trials
- Biostatistics
Background
- Selective outcome reporting (SOR) is a bias in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) where outcomes are altered or omitted in publications versus the original protocol.
- This bias can lead to the overemphasis of statistically significant findings.
- This study investigates the prevalence of SOR in pediatric dental caries RCTs.
Purpose Of The Study
- To determine the prevalence of selective outcome reporting (SOR) in published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning dental caries in children and adolescents.
- To identify factors associated with SOR in this research area.
Main Methods
- Searched ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP for pediatric dental caries RCTs published up to February 2023.
- Included RCTs with at least two arms and a published article.
- Extracted data on outcomes from protocols and publications for comparison.
Main Results
- Selective outcome reporting (SOR) was identified in 58.9% of the 175 included studies.
- Discrepancies in the primary outcome's time frame were observed in 41.1% of studies.
- SOR was significantly associated with follow-up period discrepancies (p < 0.001) and study design type (p = 0.048).
Conclusions
- A high prevalence of SOR exists in pediatric dental caries RCTs, necessitating increased attention.
- Implementing pre-registered protocols and disclosing deviations are crucial for research transparency.
- Comparing published outcomes with protocols helps reduce research waste and ensures reliable findings.
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