Table 1.

Scope of included studies

	HICs n (%) (N=295)	LMICs n (%) (N=75)	Total (%) (N=370)
Scope of the COS study
Study aims
Part of wider trial design*	124 (42)	13 (17)	137 (37)
Specific for COS†	171 (58)	62 (83)	233 (63)
Intended use of recommendations
Research	264 (89)	61 (81)	325 (88)
Research and practice	31 (11)	14 (19)	45 (12)
Population characteristics
Neonates	4 (1)	1 (1)	5 (1)
Adults	72 (24)	16 (21)	88 (24)
Children	27 (9)	7 (9)	34 (9)
Children and adults	28 (9)	10 (13)	38 (10)
Not specified‡	164 (56)	41 (55)	205 (55)
Intervention characteristic
Any intervention	77 (26)	30 (40)	107 (29)
Device	5 (2)	1 (1)	6 (2)
Device and surgery	7 (2)	1 (1)	8 (2)
Pharmacological treatment	50 (17)	9 (12)	59 (16)
Procedure	9 (3)	5 (7)	14 (4)
Radiotherapy	2 (1)	0 (0)	2 (1)
Rehabilitation	9 (3)	2 (3)	11 (3)
Screening	2 (1)	0 (0)	2 (1)
Surgical	31 (11)	6 (8)	37 (10)
Vaccine	0 (0)	2 (3)	2 (3)
Both pharmacological and pharmacological treatment	3 (1)	0 (0)	3 (1)
Non-pharmacological treatment	4 (1)	2 (3)	6 (2)
Health system	5 (2)	2 (3)	7 (2)
Not specified	91 (31)	15 (20)	106 (29)

*Publications that describe a COS as well as provides recommendations about other trial design aspects like eligibility criteria.

†Publications that describe a COS only.

‡Interpretated to mean adults.

COS, core outcome set; HICs, high-income countries; LMICs, low-income and middle-income countries.