Table 1.
Summary characteristics extracted from the published reports of the 50 trials randomly selected from 1986, 1996, 2006 and 2016.
| Extracted data | 1986 | 1996 | 2006 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language, n (%) | ||||
| English | 48 (96) | 47 (94) | 34 (68) | 48 (96) |
| Others | 2 (4) | 3 (6) | 16 (32) | 2 (4) |
| Subdiscipline, n (%) | ||||
| Cardiothoracic | 5 (10) | 10 (20) | 5 (10) | 4 (8) |
| Continence and women's health | 8 (16) | 5 (10) | 7 (14) | 7 (14) |
| Ergonomics and occupational health | 0 (0) | 3 (6) | 0 (0) | 2 (4) |
| Gerontology | 1 (2) | 7 (14) | 6 (12) | 1 (4) |
| Musculoskeletal | 15 (30) | 5 (10) | 12 (24) | 13 (26) |
| Neurology | 3 (6) | 6 (12) | 6 (12) | 3 (6) |
| Oncology | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (2) |
| Orthopaedics | 3 (6) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 6 (12) |
| Paediatrics | 7(14) | 6(12) | 4 (8) | 2 (4) |
| Sports | 0 (0) | 4 (8) | 4 (8) | 6 (12) |
| Other | 8 (16) | 2 (4) | 4 (8) | 5 (10) |
| Total PEDro score (0–10) | ||||
| Median [IQR] | 4 [3; 5] | 4 [4; 6] | 5 [4; 6] | 6 [5; 7]* |
| Randomized participants, median [IQR] | 50 [26; 93] | 59 [39; 118] | 82 [57; 147] | 81 [39; 123] |
| Sample size calculation presented, n yes (%) | 1 (2) | 7 (14) | 13 (26) | 32 (64) |
| Sample size calculated, median [IQR] | 40 [40; 40] | 104 [36; 200] | 120 [69; 179] | 89 [48; 173] |
| Multicenter recruitment, n (%) | ||||
| No | 26 (52) | 20 (40) | 28 (56) | 25 (50) |
| Yes | 2 (4) | 8 (16) | 15 (30) | 19 (38) |
| Not specified | 22 (44) | 22 (44) | 7 (14) | 6 (12) |
| Sites involved if multicenter, median [IQR] | 20 [17; 22] | 14 [3; 52] | 7 [4; 17] | 3 [2; 8] |
| Continent, n (%) | ||||
| Asia | 1 (2) | 3 (6) | 21 (42) | 15 (30) |
| Europe | 27 (54) | 20 (40) | 12 (24) | 17 (34) |
| North America | 19 (38) | 24 (48) | 14 (28) | 9 (18) |
| South America | 1 (2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (4) |
| Oceania | 2 (4) | 3 (6) | 3 (6) | 7 (14) |
| Funding, n (%) | ||||
| Yes | 19 (38) | 30 (60) | 18 (36) | 29 (58) |
| No | 27 (54) | 18 (36) | 30 (60) | 17 (34) |
| Unclear | 4 (8) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) | 4 (8) |
| Primary outcome identified, n (%) | 4 (8) | 11 (22) | 22 (44) | 33 (66) |
| Number of primary outcomes, median [IQR] | 4 [1; 9] | 2 [1; 7] | 1 [1; 2] | 1 [1; 2] |
| Adjustment for multiple primary outcomes, n (%) | ||||
| Yes | 1 (2) | 1 (2) | 2 (4) | 3 (6) |
| No | 3 (6) | 5 (10) | 14 (28) | 12 (24) |
| Not applicable | 46 (92) | 44 (88) | 34 (68) | 35 (70) |
| Types of outcomes presented in the trial, n (%) | ||||
| Continuous | 21 (42) | 29 (58) | 22 (44) | 31 (62) |
| Dichotomous | 2 (4) | 0 (0) | 8 (16) | 1 (2) |
| Both | 27 (54) | 21 (42) | 20 (40) | 18 (36) |
IQR, interquartile range.
*
Statistical significance between 2016 and each of the other three years (1986, 1996 and 2006), with a one-way ANOVA with Dunn's multiple comparison correction.