SynthesisTrials2015
Outcome reporting in randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses of appendicitis treatments in children: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Trials, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 56 citations in OpenAlex.
- Patient-centred outcomes are under-reported in the critical care burns literature: a systematic review.Trials · 2022Pooled it
- Towards a core outcome set for hemorrhoidal disease-a systematic review of outcomes reported in literature.International journal of colorectal disease · 2018Pooled it
- Do outcomes reported in randomised controlled trials of joint replacement surgery fulfil the OMERACT 2.0 Filter? A review of the 2008 and 2013 literature.Systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- A systematic review of the quality of conduct and reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in paediatric surgery.PloS one · 2017Pooled it
- A survey of knowledge, perceptions and use of core outcome sets among clinical trialists.Trials · 2021Trial
- Conservative treatment for uncomplicated appendicitis in children: the CONTRACT feasibility study, including feasibility RCT.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2021Trial
- Better care for children with appendicitis: implementation of antibiotic stewardship optimizes postoperative therapy.GMS hygiene and infection control · 2025Article
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- Remote ischemic conditioning in necrotizing enterocolitis: study protocol of a multi-center phase II feasibility randomized controlled trial.Pediatric surgery international · 2022Article
- The uncharted severity of complications after appendectomy for acute appendicitis in children: results from 348 consecutive patients.Updates in surgery · 2022Article
- Outcomes reported in randomised controlled trials of major depressive disorder in older adults: protocol for a methodological review.BMJ open · 2021Article
- Outcome reporting recommendations for clinical trial protocols and reports: a scoping review.Trials · 2020Article
- Core outcome set for uncomplicated acute appendicitis in children and young people.The British journal of surgery · 2020Article
- Primary outcome reporting in adolescent depression clinical trials needs standardization.BMC medical research methodology · 2020Article
- Outcomes in pediatric studies of medium-chain acyl-coA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency and phenylketonuria (PKU): a review.Orphanet journal of rare diseases · 2020Review
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- Development of a core outcome set to determine the overall treatment success of acute uncomplicated appendicitis in children: a study protocol.BMJ paediatrics open · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAcute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in children. Despite this, there is no core outcome set (COS) described for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in children with appendicitis and hence no consensus regarding outcome selection, definition and reporting. We aimed to identify outcomes currently reported in studies of paediatric appendicitis.
methodsUsing a defined, sensitive search strategy, we identified RCTs and systematic reviews (SRs) of treatment interventions in children with appendicitis. Included studies were all in English and investigated the effect of one or more treatment interventions in children with acute appendicitis or undergoing appendicectomy for presumed acute appendicitis. Studies were reviewed and data extracted by two reviewers. Primary (if defined) and all other outcomes were recorded and assigned to the core areas 'Death', 'Pathophysiological Manifestations', 'Life Impact', 'Resource Use' and 'Adverse Events', using OMERACT Filter 2.0.
resultsA total of 63 studies met the inclusion criteria reporting outcomes from 51 RCTs and nine SRs. Only 25 RCTs and four SRs defined a primary outcome. A total of 115 unique and different outcomes were identified. RCTs reported a median of nine outcomes each (range 1 to 14). The most frequently reported outcomes were wound infection (43 RCTs, nine SRs), intra-peritoneal abscess (41 RCTs, seven SRs) and length of stay (35 RCTs, six SRs) yet all three were reported in just 25 RCTs and five SRs. Common outcomes had multiple different definitions or were frequently not defined. Although outcomes were reported within all core areas, just one RCT and no SR reported outcomes for all core areas. Outcomes assigned to the 'Death' and 'Life Impact' core areas were reported least frequently (in six and 15 RCTs respectively).
conclusionsThere is a wide heterogeneity in the selection and definition of outcomes in paediatric appendicitis, and little overlap in outcomes used across studies. A paucity of studies report patient relevant outcomes within the 'Life Impact' core area. These factors preclude meaningful evidence synthesis, and pose challenges to designing prospective clinical trials and cohort studies. The development of a COS for paediatric appendicitis is warranted.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.