Abstract

Investigators could have double blinded more often. When they did double blind, they reported poorly and rarely evaluated it. Paradoxically, trials that reported exclusions seemed generally of a higher methodological standard than those that had no apparent exclusions. Exclusions from analysis may have been made in some of the trials in which no exclusions were reported. Editors and readers of reports of randomised trials should understand that flawed reporting of exclusions may often provide a misleading impression of the quality of the trial.

Keywords

BlindingMedicineClinical trialSpecialtyObstetrics and gynaecologyRandomizationRandomized controlled trialFamily medicineSurgeryInternal medicinePregnancy

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Publication Info

Year
1996
Type
article
Volume
312
Issue
7033
Pages
742-744
Citations
161
Access
Closed

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K. F Schulz, David A. Grimes, Douglas G. Altman et al. (1996). Blinding and exclusions after allocation in randomised controlled trials: survey of published parallel group trials in obstetrics and gynaecology. BMJ , 312 (7033) , 742-744. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.312.7033.742

Identifiers

DOI
10.1136/bmj.312.7033.742