ArticleJACC. Advances2026
Trends and Predictors of Premature Termination of Cardiovascular Trials: A Systematic Review.
Article in JACC. Advances, 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
15 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPremature termination of cardiovascular trials undermines evidence generation and wastes resources.
objectivesThe objective of the study was to evaluate trends, predictors, and recruitment adequacy among prematurely terminated cardiovascular trials.
methodsWe analyzed adult cardiovascular trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (2000-2025). Trial characteristics, early termination, and reported reasons were extracted. Computed low recruitment was defined as actual enrollment <80% of target. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of termination.
resultsAmong 19,191 trials, 2,202 (11.5%) were prematurely terminated. Low recruitment was the most common reported reason (946/2,202, 42.9%), yet 625/1,571 (39.9%) underenrolled trials did not report recruitment failure. Termination peaked in 2020 (155/1,033, 15.0%). Termination risk was the highest in early-phase trials (phases 1/2 or 2; 371/2,325, 16.0%) and lowest for behavioral/lifestyle interventions (146/2,998, 4.9%) and female-only trials (23/475, 4.8%). In multivariable analysis, small sample size (1-100 participants; OR: 3.37; 95% CI: 2.98-3.80) and later-phase trials (phase 2/3 or 3; OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.41-1.97) were associated with higher odds of termination, whereas behavioral/lifestyle interventions (OR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.32-0.49), crossover designs (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.42-0.65), and non-U.S. government funding (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.31-0.78) were protective.
conclusionsMore than 1 in 10 cardiovascular trials terminate early, most often due to poor recruitment, which is frequently under-reported. Improved feasibility assessment and transparent reporting are needed. (Trends and Predictors of Premature Termination of Cardiovascular Trials: A Systematic Review; CRD420251155096).
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.