ReviewResearch integrity and peer review2026
Comparison of preprints and their corresponding peer-reviewed publications in the health field: a scoping review.
Review in Research integrity and peer review, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
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.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPreprints are becoming more common in the health sciences and allow for instant dissemination of research findings; however, with the risk of compromising quality and transparency. Peer review potentially improves reporting and reduces errors, although its actual impact is not known. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize evidence comparing preprints in the health areas to their peer-reviewed versions and assess preprint publication rates.
methodsWe searched Embase, Medline OVID, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to July 2024 for studies comparing preprints with their peer-reviewed versions and/or investigating preprint publication rates. Two reviewers independently conducted screening and extracted data on study characteristics, parameters compared, and preprint publication rates. We conducted a narrative synthesis.
resultsWe included 40 studies (published 2019-2024; 92% peer-reviewed). The median number of studies analyzed per article was 356 (range: 19-73,256). 42% of preprints were eventually published among 33 studies that reported publication rates (IQR: 22%-67%). Preprint searches routinely started on January 1, 2020, with a median of 24.3 months and a median difference of 11.5 months between preprint and peer-reviewed search end dates. Commonly compared parameters were primary outcomes/endpoints (37%) and sample size (30%), with peer-reviewed articles showing improved reporting for funding (13%), conflicts of interest (13%).
conclusionWhile peer review enhances transparency and methodological reporting (e.g., funding, conflicts of interest), the content, outcomes, and conclusions of health-related preprints remain largely consistent with their peer-reviewed versions. Preprints facilitate rapid knowledge dissemination but may benefit from stricter reporting standards to improve credibility. Future efforts should focus on standardizing preprint policies to bridge quality gaps without delaying access.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.