Quality of reporting and its correlates among randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for cancer pain: application of the CONSORT 2010 Statement and STRICTA

This study aims to analyze the quality of reporting and its correlates in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture for cancer pain. Quality of reporting for included papers was assessed against a subset of criteria adapted from the CONSORT 2010 statement and STRICTA. An overall quality score (OQS) and a combined key methodologic index score (MIS) was calculated for each trial. Factors associated with OQS and MIS were then identified. A total of 32 RCTs were included in the full text. The median OQS based on the CONSORT Statement and STRICTA was 4.0 and 0, respectively. The significant predictors for CONSORT OQS were year of publication and nationality of authors, for STRICTA it was nationality of authors and for MIS it was publication language. The quality of reporting in RCTs on acupuncture for cancer pain was poor. This indicates that RCTs on acupuncture for cancer pain need substantial improvement.