Table 1

Mentioned in journals published 'Instructions to Authors'


N = 165 (%)

CONSORT Statement
62 (38%)

     Require
23
     Recommend
39
     Submit with checklist
17
Web address
46 *
2001 journal article
18
2001 exploratory article
1
Article citing 2001 article
2
1996 journal article (out-of-date)
6 **

Cluster extension
5 (3%)

     Require
3
     Recommend
2
Suitable reference
2

Harms extension
3 (2%)

     Require
2
     Recommend
1
Suitable reference
1

Herbal extension
2 (1%)

     Recommend
2
Suitable reference
2

Non-inferiority and equivalence extension
1 (1%)

     Recommend
1
Suitable reference
1

ICMJE
69 (42%)

Web address
48
Suitable reference (article > 2000)
3
Obsolete reference (article < 2000)
15
No reference
6

Trial registration
61 (37%)

     Require
44
     Recommend
17
Cites http://www.icmje.org
23
Cites http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
9
Cites WHO International Clinical Trial Registry Platform
4
Cites a combination of the above
10

* Web address was misspelt (n = 2)

** Article citing the 1996 article (n = 1)

Hopewell et al. Trials 2008 9:20   doi:10.1186/1745-6215-9-20