Assessment of the quality of reporting of randomized clinical trials in paediatric dentistry: A comparative systematic review

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aimed to determine the improvement in quality of the reporting of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in paediatric dentistry. The quality of reporting during the period 2014–2015 was compared with the quality of reporting during 1985–2006. METHODS: This systematic review compared the scientific quality of RCTs in paediatric dentistry published in five paediatric dentistry journals during the defined periods. The Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist of 2010 was used to evaluate the quality of reporting. The inter-reviewers’ agreement was assessed by calculating the kappa score, and disagreements between reviewers were resolved by consequent discussion. The p values and percentages were used to test for significant differences between the two reviews (1985–2006 and 2014–2015). RESULTS: A total of 40 articles were included. Although the quality of reporting showed considerable heterogeneity, the overall quality of reporting by RCTs was satisfactory and had improved over the years. CONCLUSIONS: Using CONSORT checklist, this study showed general improvement in the quality of reporting of RCTs published in pediatric dentistry journals in all article's sections.