Abstract
Data sources Cochrane Oral Health Group specialised register of RCT, limited to the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, Journal of Periodontology and Journal of Periodontal Research from 1996 to 1998.
Study selection Studies included were RCT of treatment conducted in humans and with a full journal publication available.
Data extraction and synthesis Information was extracted about randomisation, allocation concealment methods and the blinding of patient, caregiver and examiner. This was conducted independently by two reviewers.
Results A total of 91% of trials were described as randomised, of which 17% had adequate methods of randomisation and 7% adequate allocation concealment. Blinding was adequate for the caregiver in 17% and for the examiner in 55% of studies. A clear accounting of all participants was present in 56% of reports.
Conclusions The quality of periodontology RCT, judged by their publications, frequently does not meet recommended standards. If this quality is reflected in actual study conduct, fundamental errors could have a significant impact on the outcomes of these trials. It is likely that other fields of dentistry are similarly affected.
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Address for correspondence: Ian Needleman, Department of Periodontology, Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Health Care Sciences, University College London, 256 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8LD, UK. E-mail: i.needleman@eastman.ucl.ac.uk
Montenegro R, Needleman I, Moles D, Tonetti M. Quality of RCTs in periodontology. A systematic review. J Dent Res 2002; 81:866–870
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Richards, D. RCTs in periodontology do not meet current recommendations on quality. Evid Based Dent 4, 3 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400163
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400163
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