Ricarda Lieber1, Nikolaos Pandis2, Clovis Mariano Faggion1. 1. Department of Periodontology and Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany. 2. Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Dental School/Medical Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Abstract
AIM: To assess the reporting and handling of incomplete outcome data in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published in implant dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included RCTs on interventions related to the treatment with dental implants and presented any form of missing data. PubMed, SCOPUS and Cochrane databases were searched for studies published between May 2015 and May 2018. Reporting and handling of missing data at the study level were evaluated using a series of relevant questions. Descriptive data were reported, and univariable analyses were performed to evaluate the association of study variables with quality of reporting and data handling. RESULTS: One-hundred and thirty-seven RCT reports were included from the 7,116 initially retrieved publications. The reporting of incomplete outcome data varied greatly among the trials and for the different questions. The range of adequately reported questions was between 3.64% (question: comparison of baseline characteristics of all randomised participants) and 100% (question: explicit reporting of missing data). The complete case analysis was the most used (45.3%) approach for incomplete outcome data handling. CONCLUSIONS: Randomized studies in implant dentistry have room for improvement in both the reporting and the handling of incomplete outcome data.
AIM: To assess the reporting and handling of incomplete outcome data in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published in implant dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included RCTs on interventions related to the treatment with dental implants and presented any form of missing data. PubMed, SCOPUS and Cochrane databases were searched for studies published between May 2015 and May 2018. Reporting and handling of missing data at the study level were evaluated using a series of relevant questions. Descriptive data were reported, and univariable analyses were performed to evaluate the association of study variables with quality of reporting and data handling. RESULTS: One-hundred and thirty-seven RCT reports were included from the 7,116 initially retrieved publications. The reporting of incomplete outcome data varied greatly among the trials and for the different questions. The range of adequately reported questions was between 3.64% (question: comparison of baseline characteristics of all randomised participants) and 100% (question: explicit reporting of missing data). The complete case analysis was the most used (45.3%) approach for incomplete outcome data handling. CONCLUSIONS: Randomized studies in implant dentistry have room for improvement in both the reporting and the handling of incomplete outcome data.
Authors: Chinenye Okpara; Chidozie Edokwe; George Ioannidis; Alexandra Papaioannou; Jonathan D Adachi; Lehana Thabane Journal: BMC Med Res Methodol Date: 2022-04-26 Impact factor: 4.612