Table 3.

Types of outcomes measured as primary endpoints in test-treatment RCTs

Outcome Type	Trials, n	(%)	aOutcome measurements, n	(%)
Patient
Symptom score	13	(25)	14	(9)
Adverse events	8	(15)	15	(10)
Function	8	(15)	11	(7)
Quality of life	5	(9)	17	(11)
Mortality	4	(8)	4	(3)
Health perception	2	(4)	5	(3)
Psychological morbidity	2	(4)	6	(4)
Absenteeism	1	(2)	1	(1)
Clinical status	9	(17)	9	(6)
Residual disease rate	7	(13)	7	(5)
Recurrent disease rate	6	(11)	7	(5)
Patient outcome total	53	(54)	96	(64)
Process
Therapeutic yield	17	(45)	20	(13)
Timing of care	8	(21)	8	(5)
Cost	7	(18)	7	(5)
Appropriateness of treatment decision	5	(13)	6	(4)
Diagnostic yield	4	(11)	5	(3)
Process outcome total	38	(39)	46	(31)
Composite outcome
Adverse patient and process event rate	7	(7)	7	(5)
Primary outcome not defined	6	(6)	0	(0)
Total	103	(100)	149	(100)

^aMany trials included more than one primary outcome