Facelift Randomized Controlled Trials Compliance With CONSORT Checklist: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Evidence-Based Medicine
• Clinical Trial Methodology

Background:

• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in facelift surgery are limited and inconsistently reported.
• Transparent and reproducible methods are essential for evaluating facelift surgery efficacy and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the methodological quality and reporting standards of facelift RCTs.
• To identify adherence patterns and areas for improvement using Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and CONSORT-NPT guidelines.

Main Methods:

• A PRISMA-guided systematic review of facelift RCTs was conducted.
• Methodological quality was assessed using CONSORT 2010/CONSORT-NPT 2017 checklists.
• Risk of bias and evidence quality were evaluated using Cochrane RoB 2.0 and GRADE.

Main Results:

• Ten RCTs (n=457) were included, with mean CONSORT adherence of 56%.
• High adherence was noted for intervention description and statistical analysis, but poor for trial registration and protocol publication.
• Only 3 trials had low risk of bias, with largely low-moderate GRADE certainty.

Conclusions:

• Facelift RCTs exhibit variable and suboptimal reporting, weakening the evidence base for facial rejuvenation.
• Enhancing trial quality necessitates pre-registration, protocol publication, validated outcomes, and CONSORT adherence.
• Standardized reporting and minimum datasets are recommended to strengthen evidence in facial rejuvenation surgery.