Article type
Year
Abstract
Background and Objective: The CONSORT Statement provides recommendations for reporting randomized controlled trials. This study aims to assess the application of the CONSORT Statement in ‘Instruction to Authors’ of journals of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) which are included in SCI, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CSCD or CSTPCD database.
Methods: We extracted all information about the CONSORT Statement or CONSORT extension papers in journal online ‘Instruction to Authors’. Any information, such as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), clinical trial registration, etc, were also extracted. As well, we also surveyed the editorial office by telephone or E-mail to get more information about the awareness of journal editors and the application of the CONSORT recommendations. Analyses were performed by SPSS17.0.
Results: Sixty-three journals of TCM were included. On the survey of journal ‘Instructions to Authors’ only the Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine recommended the CONSORT Statement in its ‘Instruction to Authors’. Also,just the Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine referred to ICMJE and clinical trial registration. No one journal mentioned the CONSORT extension papers (e.g.: Cluster extension, Herbal extension). On the survey of the journal editorial office by telephone or E-mail:54 journals (85.7%, 54/63) responded to the survey. The majority (72.2%, 39/54) were journal editors, 16.7% were editorial directors,5.6% were editor-in-chief, 5.6% were other workers. Of these, only 8 journals indicated that they do know about the CONSORT Statement, another 3 journals said they had just heard about it, but did not know it very well. and all these 11 journals (20.3%,11/54) thought it was needed to include the CONSORT Statement in ‘Instruction to Authors’ of journals of TCM. Other 79.6% (43/54) journals indicated that they didn’t know the CONSORT Statement, and of these, 58.1% (25/43) thought it wasn’t needed to include the CONSORT Statement in ‘Instruction to Authors’ of journals of TCM.
Conclusions: The endorsement of the CONSORT Statement in ‘Instruction to Authors’ of journals of TCM was worrying. So we make suggestions: Encourage editing staffs of medical journal to take part in training courses to learn about the standards for reports of medical research. Journals of TCM should be more explicit in their recommendations and expectations of authors regarding the CONSORT Statement and related CONSORT extensions papers and finally improve the reporting quality of Chinese clinical trials.
Methods: We extracted all information about the CONSORT Statement or CONSORT extension papers in journal online ‘Instruction to Authors’. Any information, such as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), clinical trial registration, etc, were also extracted. As well, we also surveyed the editorial office by telephone or E-mail to get more information about the awareness of journal editors and the application of the CONSORT recommendations. Analyses were performed by SPSS17.0.
Results: Sixty-three journals of TCM were included. On the survey of journal ‘Instructions to Authors’ only the Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine recommended the CONSORT Statement in its ‘Instruction to Authors’. Also,just the Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine referred to ICMJE and clinical trial registration. No one journal mentioned the CONSORT extension papers (e.g.: Cluster extension, Herbal extension). On the survey of the journal editorial office by telephone or E-mail:54 journals (85.7%, 54/63) responded to the survey. The majority (72.2%, 39/54) were journal editors, 16.7% were editorial directors,5.6% were editor-in-chief, 5.6% were other workers. Of these, only 8 journals indicated that they do know about the CONSORT Statement, another 3 journals said they had just heard about it, but did not know it very well. and all these 11 journals (20.3%,11/54) thought it was needed to include the CONSORT Statement in ‘Instruction to Authors’ of journals of TCM. Other 79.6% (43/54) journals indicated that they didn’t know the CONSORT Statement, and of these, 58.1% (25/43) thought it wasn’t needed to include the CONSORT Statement in ‘Instruction to Authors’ of journals of TCM.
Conclusions: The endorsement of the CONSORT Statement in ‘Instruction to Authors’ of journals of TCM was worrying. So we make suggestions: Encourage editing staffs of medical journal to take part in training courses to learn about the standards for reports of medical research. Journals of TCM should be more explicit in their recommendations and expectations of authors regarding the CONSORT Statement and related CONSORT extensions papers and finally improve the reporting quality of Chinese clinical trials.