ReviewActa anaesthesiologica Scandinavica2026
Key Features of Contemporary Pilot and Feasibility Trials: Protocol for a Methodological Study.
Review in Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 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
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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.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRandomised clinical trials (RCTs) are costly undertakings requiring careful design, planning and conduct. Failure to achieve timely participant recruitment, separation between intervention groups and adequate follow-up contributes to waste in research. Pilot RCTs offer researchers the opportunity to examine whether a definitive trial may work as intended, for example, assessing whether the targeted sample size can be recruited, whether protocol adherence and between-group separation are achievable and whether outcome data can be collected. To maximise their value, more attention to the design, conduct and reporting of pilot RCTs is likely required. Here, we aim to describe and characterise feasibility assessment methodology in a cohort of contemporary pilot RCTs in hospitalised patients.
methodsIn this methodological study, we will describe key features of contemporary pilot RCTs in hospitalised patients across medical and surgical specialties. We will search for pilot/feasibility RCTs published within the last half calendar year, with the aim of including at least 100 RCTs assessing feasibility. If necessary to achieve the minimum sample, the search will be expanded to a maximum of 5 years. We will extract data on key trial characteristics (including area of care and type of intervention and comparator), whether feasibility was assessed and feasibility assessment methodology (feasibility areas assessed, conduct as stand-alone pilot, use of pre-defined outcomes and pre-specified criteria for progression to definitive RCT, adequacy of sample size justification, plans for definitive RCT, assessment of clinical outcomes and whether a definitive trial was deemed feasible). Findings will be summarised using descriptive statistics for all trials and stratified by intervention type, area of care and comparator type.
conclusionsThe outlined methodological study will provide data on key features of contemporary pilot RCTs in hospitalised patients, including the feasibility assessment methodologies employed. This may improve design, conduct and reporting of future pilot RCTs, ultimately increasing their value and reducing research waste.
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