Table 2. Proportion of appropriate and inappropriate study designs for key paediatric surgical conditions in 1998 and 2013.

	Number of studies in 1998		Number of studies in 2013
Appendicitis
Less appropriate designs	47 (89%)	134 (83%)
Appropriate designs	6 (11%)	23 (14%)
Systematic Review	0 (0%)	4 (2%)
Pyloric Stenosis
Less appropriate designs	22 (92%)	23 (85%)
Appropriate designs	2 (8%)	3 (11%)
Systematic Review	0 (0%)	1 (4%)
Hirschsprung’s Disease
Less appropriate designs	36 (95%)	41 (82%)
Appropriate designs	2 (5%)	8 (16%)
Systematic Review	0 (0%)	1 (2%)
Oesophageal atresia
Less appropriate designs	11 (100%)	35 (90%)
Appropriate designs	0 (0%)	2(5%)
Systematic Review	0 (0%)	2 (5%)
Gastroschisis
Less appropriate designs	12 (100%)	37 (86%)
Appropriate designs	0 (0%)	4 (9%)
Systematic Review	0 (0%)	2 (5%)
Transplant
Less appropriate designs	201 (84%)	556 (86%)
Appropriate designs	39 (16%)	87 (13%)
Systematic Review	0 (0%)	3 (1%)