Table 2 RCT characteristics and LTE-level comparisons*
From: What do letters to the editor publish about randomized controlled trials? A cross-sectional study
RCT characteristic | Number of Topics (%) | P-value†RCT characteristic compared with LTE topic: Methodological, Clinical or Other | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
(Number of RCTs; N = 175) | Method (N = 564) | Clinical (N = 42) | Other (N = 17) | |
Impact on outcomes reported in the RCT | 0.581 | |||
Positive (N = 108) | 348 (62) | 29 (69) | 13 (76) | |
Negative (N = 9) | 28 (5) | 5 (12) | 0 (0) | |
None (N = 58) | 188 (33) | 8 (19) | 4 (24) | |
Presence of serious harm in outcomes of the RCT | 0.770 | |||
Harm (N = 161) | 502 (89) | 36 (86) | 16 (94) | |
No harm (N = 4) | 62 (11) | 6 (14) | 1 (6) | |
Type of intervention tested in the RCT | 0.917 | |||
Drug (N = 119) | 392 (70) | 27 (64) | 12 (71) | |
Other (N = 56) | 172 (30) | 15 (36) | 5 (29) | |
Author affiliation of the RCT | 0.487 | |||
Academic (N = 137) | 438 (78) | 32 (76) | 9 (53) | |
Hospital (N = 26) | 94 (17) | 7 (17) | 7 (41) | |
Research Institute (N = 6) | 15 (2) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) | |
Community practice (N = 3) | 10 (1.8) | 0 (0) | 1 (6) | |
Government (N = 2) | 6 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | |
Industry (N = 1) | 1 (0.2) | 2 (5) | 0 (0) | |
Funding source of the RCT | 0.002‡ | |||
Government (N = 95) | 303 (54) | 23 (55) | 9 (53) | |
Academic (N = 9) | 30 (5) | 3 (7) | 0 (0) | |
Industry (N = 56) | 178 (32) | 6 (14) | 4 (24) | |
Other (N =7) | 12 (2) | 4 (10) | 0 (0) | |
Not indicated (N = 8) | 41 (7) | 6 (14) | 4 (24) | |