Article type
Year
Abstract
Background:
The reporting guideline is used worldwide to improve reporting quality. However, little is known about the quality of reporting in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in Korean medical journals.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to assess the endorsment of reporting guidelines in Korean Traditional Medicine (TM) journals by reviewing their instructions to authors.
Methods:
A total of 36 journals were identified, and their instructions were downloaded and assessed for the appropriate use of reporting guidelines in addressing authors of RCTs. RCTs included in journals endorsing reporting guidelines and published after 2010 were obtained. Reporting quality was assessed using the 38-item CONSORT statement for non-pharmacological trials (NPT), the 17-item standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of acupuncture (STRICTA) statement rather than the 5-item CONSORT for acupuncture trials, and the 22-item CONSORT extensions for herbal medicine trials. An overall item score was calculated and expressed as a proportion.
Results:
Only one journal endorsing the reporting guideline was identified, and 29 RCTs met the selection criteria. General editorial policies, e.g. those from the International Committee of Medical Journal editors (ICMJE), were endorsed by 15 journals. In each of the CONSORT-NPT articles 21.6% to 56.8% of the items were reported, with an average of 11.3 items (29.7%). In the 24 RCTs (24/29, 82.8%) appraised using the STRICTA items, an average of 10.6 items (62.5%) were addressed, with a range from 41.2% to 100%. For herbal intervention reporting, an average of 17 items (17/22, 77.27%) were reported. In studies examining RCT before and after 2010, description of the total CONSORT (percent difference, 3.6%; 95% CI, -2.1 to 9.3) and STRICTA (percent difference, 19.2%; 95% CI, 10.3 to 28.2) were improved after endorsement of CONSORT and STRICTA by the journal.
Conclusions:
The endorsement of reporting guidelines is low in Korean TM journals. Authors should adhere to the reporting guidelines, and editorial departments should refer authors to the various reporting guidelines to improve the quality.
The reporting guideline is used worldwide to improve reporting quality. However, little is known about the quality of reporting in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in Korean medical journals.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to assess the endorsment of reporting guidelines in Korean Traditional Medicine (TM) journals by reviewing their instructions to authors.
Methods:
A total of 36 journals were identified, and their instructions were downloaded and assessed for the appropriate use of reporting guidelines in addressing authors of RCTs. RCTs included in journals endorsing reporting guidelines and published after 2010 were obtained. Reporting quality was assessed using the 38-item CONSORT statement for non-pharmacological trials (NPT), the 17-item standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of acupuncture (STRICTA) statement rather than the 5-item CONSORT for acupuncture trials, and the 22-item CONSORT extensions for herbal medicine trials. An overall item score was calculated and expressed as a proportion.
Results:
Only one journal endorsing the reporting guideline was identified, and 29 RCTs met the selection criteria. General editorial policies, e.g. those from the International Committee of Medical Journal editors (ICMJE), were endorsed by 15 journals. In each of the CONSORT-NPT articles 21.6% to 56.8% of the items were reported, with an average of 11.3 items (29.7%). In the 24 RCTs (24/29, 82.8%) appraised using the STRICTA items, an average of 10.6 items (62.5%) were addressed, with a range from 41.2% to 100%. For herbal intervention reporting, an average of 17 items (17/22, 77.27%) were reported. In studies examining RCT before and after 2010, description of the total CONSORT (percent difference, 3.6%; 95% CI, -2.1 to 9.3) and STRICTA (percent difference, 19.2%; 95% CI, 10.3 to 28.2) were improved after endorsement of CONSORT and STRICTA by the journal.
Conclusions:
The endorsement of reporting guidelines is low in Korean TM journals. Authors should adhere to the reporting guidelines, and editorial departments should refer authors to the various reporting guidelines to improve the quality.