T. Innocenti1, S. Salvioli1, S. Giagio2, D. Feller3, A. Cartabellotta4, A. Chiarotto5,6
1University of Genoa, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Genoa, Italy, 2University of Bologna, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Bologna, Italy, 3Provincial Agency for Health of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Trento, Italy, 4GIMBE Foundation, Bologna, Italy, 5Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Department of General Practice, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 6Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University, Department of Health Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Background: Poor reporting of a scientific study can affect dissemination of research in different manners. It is known that study methods are frequently not described in adequate detail and that results are presented ambiguously or selectively. To overcome these problems, reporting guidelines (RGs) have been developed to increase the transparency of research. While recent evidence suggests that these guidelines are frequently used inappropriately in studies published in the main medical journals, the extent and appropriateness of use in the physiotherapy research has not been investigated.
Purpose: The main aims of this meta-research study were:
1) to evaluate the declared use of reporting guidelines (RGs),
2) to categorise the declared use as appropriate or inappropriate, among the high-impacted rehabilitation journals.
1) to evaluate the declared use of reporting guidelines (RGs),
2) to categorise the declared use as appropriate or inappropriate, among the high-impacted rehabilitation journals.
Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a random sample of 200 studies published in the last ten years (2010-2019) in five generic rehabilitation journals with the highest 5-year impact factor and selected in double blind selection process. Randomization was stratified by publication date to include an equal number of studies from 2010 to 2014 (n=100), and from 2015 to 2019 (n=100). Randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, observational studies and diagnostic studies were included. Crude prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals were estimated for the authors’ declaration of use and appropriateness of use. A logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between the use of reporting guidelines and the year of publication.
Results: The search strategy identified a total of 7,772 studies. After a selection by study design, a total of 2,768 articles were extracted in a double-blind selection process. The randomly selected sample (n = 200) included 69 RCTs, 70 observational studies, 54 systematic reviews and 7 diagnostic test accuracy studies. The physiotherapy research fields most frequently represented were neurological (n=78) and musculoskeletal (n=71), followed by geriatric (n=13), cardio-pulmonary (n=12), pelvic-floor disfunctions (n=8), and pediatrics (n=7). There were also 11 studies categorized as “other” (e.g. cancer patients, asymptomatic patients). Among the selected studies, 17.5% (95% CI: 12.2 – 22.8%) declared the use of an RG. In these studies, 48.6% (95% CI: 32 – 65.1%) used an RG appropriately. There was an increasing trend over time for authors reporting the use of a reporting guideline (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.13 - 1.53).
Conclusion(s): In physiotherapy research, a small minority of authors declared the use of a RG in their article. Approximately half of these studies declared an inappropriate use. There is an urgent need to improve the use of RGs in this field of research.
Implications: Several studies have shown the positive influence of reporting guidelines on the completeness of research reporting but no one investigated the use and the appropriateness of reporting guidelines in physical therapy research. Therefore, this study will add relevant knowledge that may contribute to improve further the reporting of rehabilitation research. RG-adherent journals could take a standardized process to evaluate article adherence to RGs and peer-reviewers should receive training on the use of these guidelines.
Funding, acknowledgements: None
Keywords: Reporting guidelines, CONSORT, PRISMA
Topic: Research methodology, knowledge translation & implementation science
Did this work require ethics approval? No
Institution: University of Genoa, Department DINOGMI
Committee: none
Reason: This is a meta-research study
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
