Table 1

Indicators used to describe and evaluate included randomised controlled trials

Indicator

Description

Descriptive indicators

1
Publication language
Chinese or English
2
Nationality of authors
Chinese, international or collaboration
3
Funding source
As reported
4
Disease area
Simple categories
5
Choice of comparator interventions
Placebo/alternative treatment/no treatment
6
Size of trial
Number of participants
7
Ethical committee approval
Yes/No
8
Informed consent from participants
As reported

Quality of reporting: CONSORT indicators

9
Sample size
How was sample size determined?
10
Randomisation
Was the trial randomised?
11
Allocation concealment
What method was used to implement the random allocation sequence?
12
Blinding
Whether or not patients and/or investigators were blinded to group assignment
13
Baseline characteristics
Were the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of each group reported
14
Primary outcomes
Did they report which outcome was designated as the primary outcome?
15
Length of follow-up
As reported
16
Loss to follow-up
As reported
17
Statistical reporting
Were confidence intervals or p values reported to indicate precision?

Zhang et al. Trials 2008 9:22   doi:10.1186/1745-6215-9-22