Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies

Reference	Medical specialty	Time period for RCT publication	Identification of trials	Journals (N)	Trials (N)	Assessment of registration			Registries searched
						Reporting	Search	Email	CT.gov	ISRCTN	WHO ICTRP	ANZCTR	National registries
Ostervig [59]	Anesthesiology	2009–2014	Single journal	1	200	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Jones [49]	Anesthesiology	2007; 2010; 2013; 2010	Selection of high IF journals	6	860	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Nankervis [56]	Atopic dermatitis	01/2007–07/2011	SR of eczema RCTs	–	109	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Mathieu [22]	Cardiology, rheumatology, gastroenterology	2008	SR of RCTs in cardiology, rheumatology, and gastroenterology	22	323	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Wiebe [71]	Cardio-thoracic surgery	2008–2015	Selection of high IF journals	4	287	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Emdin [42, 58]	Cardiovascular disease	12/2012	SR of cardiovascular disease RCTs	–	191	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Cybulski [37]	Clinical psychology	2013	Selection of high IF journals	25	101	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Anand [32]	Critical care	01/2005–08/2011	SR of RCTs in critical care	–	90	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Shinohara [66]	Depression	2011–2013	SR of RCTs of cognitive behavioral therapy and new-generation antidepressants	–	170	Yes	No	Yes	Unclear
Jones [48]	Emergency medicine	2008–2011	Selection of high IF journals	5	123	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Farquhar [43, 44]	Fertility medicine	2010–2014	SR of RCTs of fertility treatments	NA	693	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Li [52]	Gastroenterology and hepatology	2009–2012	Selection of high IF journals	10	305	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Mann [53]	Geriatrics	2008–2012	Selection of high IF journals	5	220	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
McGee [54]	Kidney transplantation	10/2005–12/2010	SR of kidney transplantation RCTs	–	307	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Gray [46]	Nursing	11/2011–09/2016	Key general and mental health journals in nursing	3	135	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Byrne [36]	Obesity	01/2011–06/2016	Selection of specialty journals	4	223	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
You [33, 72]	Oncology	2005–2009	Journals thought to publish majority of oncology RCTs	10	366	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Smail-Faugeron [68]	Oral health	2013	Selection of high IF journals	15	317	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Hamm [21]	Pediatrics	2007	SR of pediatric RCTs	–	300	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Gates [45]	Pediatrics	2012	SR of pediatric RCTs	–	300	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Rosati [64]	Pediatrics	07/2013–11/2013	Single journal	1	20	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Pinto [61]	Physical therapy	2009	Indexed in PEDro	–	200	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pidgeon [60]	Plastic surgery	04/2014–03/2015	Selection of high IF journals	3	24	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Scott [65]	Psychiatry	2009–2013	Selection of high IF journals	5	181	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Milette [55]	Psychosomatic and behavioral medicine	01/2008–09/2009	Selection of high IF journals	4	63	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Riehm [63]	Psychosomatic and behavioral medicine	01/2013–10/2014	Selection of high IF journals	4	76	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Bradley [35]	Psychotherapy	2010–2014	Selection of high IF journals	5	112	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Sims [67]	Shoulder arthroplasty	2005–2015	SR of shoulder arthroplasty RCTs	10	37	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Killeen [50]	Surgery	2009–2010	Selection of high IF journals	10	246	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Hardt [47]	Surgery	06/2012–12/2012	Selection of high IF journals	10	103	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Kunath [51]	Urology	2009	Selection of high IF journals	10	106	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Potentially overlapping studies
Bonnot [34]	Anesthesiology	2013	Selection of high IF journals	12	183	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
El-Boghdadly [41]	Anesthesiology	01/201412/2016	Single journal	1	90	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Norris [57]	Diabetes, osteoporosis, lip-modifying agents	2005–2010	Comparative effectiveness reviews	–	299	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Dekkers [40]	Multiple	2004–2012	Trial protocols submitted to ethics committee	–	54	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Dechartres [38]	Multiple	2006–2014	Cochrane reviews	–	322	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Dekkers [39]	Multiple	02/2009	SR of non-inferiority RCTs in Core Clinical Journals	121	133	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Reveiz [62]	Multiple	2010	SR of RCTs from Latin America and Caribbean	–	526	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Van de Wetering [70]	Multiple	11/2010	Core Clinical Journals	121	302	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Walker [69]	Multiple	05/2011–05/2012	Selection of high IF journals	2	76	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes

SR systematic review, RCT randomized controlled trial, IF impact factor, PEDro Physiotherapy Evidence Database, CT.gov ClinicalTrials.gov, ISCRCTN International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number, WHO ICTRP World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ANZCTR Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry