Table 2.
Ratings for each methodological quality criterion within and across journals
| Methodological quality criteria | Journal* | Yes | No | Not reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proper Methods of Randomization |
AJSM |
70.3% |
9.5% |
20.3% |
| JBJS |
74.5% |
6.6% |
18.9% |
|
| JOR |
57.1% |
0.0% |
42.9% |
|
| OC |
58.3% |
8.3% |
33.3% |
|
| SJ |
56.3% |
0.0% |
43.8% |
|
|
Mean |
63.3% |
4.9% |
31.8% |
|
| Concealment of Subject Allocation |
AJSM |
66.2% |
8.1% |
25.7% |
| JBJS |
75.5% |
6.6% |
17.9% |
|
| JOR |
57.1% |
0.0% |
42.9% |
|
| OC |
61.1% |
5.6% |
33.3% |
|
| SJ |
56.3% |
0.0% |
43.8% |
|
|
Mean |
63.2% |
4.1% |
32.7% |
|
| Blinding of Participants |
AJSM |
14.9% |
18.9% |
66.2% |
| JBJS |
20.8% |
23.6% |
55.7% |
|
| JOR |
14.3% |
0.0% |
85.7% |
|
| OC |
30.6% |
16.7% |
52.8% |
|
| SJ |
25.0% |
37.5% |
37.5% |
|
|
Mean |
21.1% |
19.3% |
59.6% |
|
| Blinding of Outcome Assessor |
AJSM |
51.4% |
14.9% |
33.8% |
| JBJS |
45.3% |
21.7% |
33.0% |
|
| JOR |
57.1% |
0.0% |
42.9% |
|
| OC |
61.1% |
2.8% |
36.1% |
|
| SJ |
37.5% |
18.8% |
43.8% |
|
|
Mean |
50.5% |
11.6% |
37.9% |
|
| Outcome Measurements Performed in the Same Manner |
AJSM |
91.9% |
1.4% |
6.8% |
| JBJS |
95.3% |
0.9% |
3.8% |
|
| JOR |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
|
| OC |
97.2% |
0.0% |
2.8% |
|
| SJ |
87.5% |
0.0% |
12.5% |
|
|
Mean |
94.4% |
0.5% |
5.2% |
|
| Interventions Administration by Similarly Trained Individuals |
AJSM |
79.7% |
1.4% |
18.9% |
| JBJS |
48.1% |
1.9% |
50.0% |
|
| JOR |
14.3% |
0.0% |
85.7% |
|
| Osteo |
0.0% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
| SJ |
12.5% |
0.0% |
87.5% |
|
|
Mean |
30.9% |
0.7% |
68.4% |
|
| Description of Compliance With the Intervention |
AJSM |
77.0% |
21.6% |
1.4% |
| JBJS |
64.2% |
35.8% |
0.0% |
|
| JOR |
28.6% |
71.4% |
0.0% |
|
| OC |
83.3% |
16.7% |
0.0% |
|
| SJ |
56.3% |
43.8% |
0.0% |
|
|
Mean |
61.9% |
37.9% |
0.3% |
|
| Intention-To-Treat Analysis |
AJSM |
39.2% |
2.7% |
58.1% |
| JBJS |
39.6% |
1.9% |
58.5% |
|
| JOR |
14.3% |
0.0% |
85.7% |
|
| Osteo |
63.9% |
0.0% |
36.1% |
|
| SJ |
50.0% |
0.0% |
50.0% |
|
|
Mean |
41.4% |
0.9% |
57.7% |
|
| Was Clustering Accounted for in the Analysis? |
AJSM |
0.0% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
| JBJS |
0.9% |
0.0% |
99.1% |
|
| JOR |
0.0% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
| OC |
0.0% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
| SJ |
0.0% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
|
Mean |
0.2% |
0.0% |
99.8% |
|
| Were the Groups Similar at Baseline? |
AJSM |
74.3% |
4.1% |
21.6% |
| |
JBJS |
71.7% |
6.6% |
21.7% |
| |
JOR |
42.9% |
0.0% |
57.1% |
| |
OC |
63.9% |
25.0% |
11.1% |
| |
SJ |
68.8% |
6.3% |
25.0% |
| Mean | 64.3% | 8.4% | 27.3% |
*AJSM American Journal of Sports Medicine, JBJS Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, JOR Journal of Orthopaedic Research, OC Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, SJ Spine Journal.