Assessment of reporting quality in randomised controlled clinical trial abstracts of dental implantology published from 2014 to 2016
Open accessAbstract
Objectives: Access to full texts of randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) is often limited, so brief summaries of studies play a pivotal role. In 2008, a checklist was provided to ensure the transparency and completeness of abstracts. The aim of this investigation was to estimate adherence to the reporting guidelines of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) criteria for abstracts (CONSORT-A) in RCT publications. Primary endpoint: Assessment according to the percentage of compliance with the 16 CONSORT-A criteria per study. Materials and methods: This study is based on a full survey (212 RCT abstracts in dental implantology, PubMed search, publication period 2014–2016, 45 journals, median impact factor: 2.328). In addition to merely documenting ‘adherence’ to criteria, the authors also assessed the ‘complete implementation’ of the requested information where possible. The collection of data was performed independently by two dentists, and a final consensus was reached. The primary endpoint was evaluated by medians and quartiles. Additionally, a Poisson regression was conducted to detect influencing factors. Results: A median of 50% (Q1–Q3: 44%–63%) was documented for the 16 criteria listed in the CONSORT-A statement. Nine of the 16 criteria were considered in fewer than 50% of the abstracts. ‘Correct implementation’ was achieved for a median of 43% (Q1–Q3: 31%–50%) of the criteria. An additional application of Poisson regression revealed that the number of words used had a locally significant impact on the number of reported CONSORT criteria for abstracts (incidence rate ratio 1.001, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.002). Conclusion: Transparent and complete reporting in abstracts appears problematic. A limited word count seems to result in a reduction in necessary information. As current scientific knowledge is often not readily available in the form of publications, abstracts constitute the primary basis for decision making in clinical practice and research. This is why journals should refrain from limiting the number of words too strictly in order to facilitate comprehensive reporting in abstracts.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Some published studies have shown lower adherence to the CONSORT guidelines.
“Some published studies have, however, shown lower adherence to the CONSORT guidelines (Loguercio et al. 2017; Menne et al. 2022; Knippschild et al. 2021; Rezende et al. 2022; Flint and Harrison 2010).”
From Adherence to the CONSORT statement of randomized clinical trials on dentin hypersensitivity treatment using mouthwashes (2025) · cites this paper as Knippschild et al. 2021
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Hopewell, S., Clarke, M., Moher, D., Wager, E., Middleton, P., Altman, D. G., Schulz, K. F., & and the CONSORT Group (2008) · PLoS Medicine · doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050020 · Cited by 674 · see citing works
CONSORT for reporting randomised trials in journal and conference abstracts
Hopewell, S., Clarke, M., Moher, D., Wager, E., Middleton, P., Altman, D. G., & Schulz, K. F. (2008) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(07)61835-2 · Cited by 458 · see citing works
Ghimire, S., Kyung, E., Kang, W., & Kim, E. (2012) · Trials · doi:10.1186/1745-6215-13-77 · Cited by 140 · see citing works
The quality of reporting of trial abstracts is suboptimal: survey of major general medical journals
Berwanger, O., Ribeiro, R. A., Finkelsztejn, A., Watanabe, M., Suzumura, E. A., Duncan, B. B., Devereaux, P. J., & Cook, D. (2009) · Journal of Clinical Epidemiology · doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2008.05.013 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Family physicians' use of medical abstracts to guide decision making: style or substance?
Barry, H. C., Ebell, M. H., Shaughnessy, A. F., Slawson, D. C., & Nietzke, F. (2001) · PubMed · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Lund, H., Juhl, C. B., Nørgaard, B., Draborg, E., Henriksen, M., Andreasen, J., Christensen, R., Nasser, M., Ciliska, D. K., Clarke, M. J., et al. (2020) · Journal of Clinical Epidemiology · doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2020.07.019 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Fleming, P., Buckley, N., Seehra, J., Polychronopoulou, A., & Pandis, N. (2012) · American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics · doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2012.05.013 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Pistilli, R., Felice, P., Piatelli, M., et al. (2014) · PubMed · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Torroella‐Saura, G., Mareque‐Bueno, J., Cabratosa‐Termes, J., et al. (2014) · Clinical Oral Implants Research · doi:10.1111/clr.12506 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Faggion, C. M., & Giannakopoulos, N. N. (2012) · Journal of Periodontology · doi:10.1902/jop.2012.110609 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Seehra, J., Wright, N. S., Polychronopoulou, A., Cobourne, M. T., & Pandis, N. (2013) · Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice · doi:10.1016/j.jebdp.2012.11.001 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Arduino, P. G., Tirone, F., Schiorlin, E., et al. (2015) · PubMed · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Kiriakou, J., Pandis, N., Madianos, P., & Polychronopoulou, A. (2014) · Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice · doi:10.1016/j.jebdp.2013.10.018 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
The impact of open access upon public health
Barbour, V. M. (2006) · Bulletin of the World Health Organization · doi:10.2471/blt.06.032409 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Ridge Preservation Comparing a Nonresorbable PTFE Membrane to a Resorbable Collagen Membrane
Arbab, H., Greenwell, H., HILL, M. A., et al. (2015) · Implant Dentistry · doi:10.1097/id.0000000000000370 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Kuriyama, A., Takahashi, N., & Nakayama, T. (2017) · Trials · doi:10.1186/s13063-017-1786-x · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Chow, J., Turkstra, T. P., Yim, E., & Jones, P. M. (2018) · European Journal of Anaesthesiology · doi:10.1097/eja.0000000000000880 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
The Reporting Quality of Randomized Controlled Trial Abstracts in Plastic Surgery
Gallo, L., Wakeham, S., Dunn, E., Avram, R., Thoma, A., & Voineskos, S. H. (2019) · Aesthetic Surgery Journal · doi:10.1093/asj/sjz199 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Esposito, M. A., Cannizzaro, G., Barausse, C., et al. (2014) · PubMed · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Speich, B., Cord, K. A. M., Agarwal, A., Gloy, V., Gryaznov, D., Moffa, G., Hopewell, S., & Briel, M. (2019) · World Journal of Surgery · doi:10.1007/s00268-019-05064-1 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Khan, M. S., Shaikh, A., Ochani, R. K., Akhtar, T., Fatima, K., Khan, S. U., Mookadam, F., Murad, M. H., Figueredo, V. M., Doukky, R., et al. (2019) · Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes · doi:10.1161/circoutcomes.118.005260 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Baulig, C., Krummenauer, F., Geis, B., Tulka, S., & Knippschild, S. (2018) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021912 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Self-citationGöçmen, G., Atalı, O., Aktop, S., et al. (2015) · Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery · doi:10.1016/j.joms.2015.10.024 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
The quality of reporting RCT abstracts in four major orthodontics journals for the period 2012–2017
Alharbi, F., & Almuzian, M. (2019) · Journal of orthodontics · doi:10.1177/1465312519860160 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Sivendran, S., Newport, K. B., Horst, M., Albert, A., & Galsky, M. D. (2015) · Trials · doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0885-9 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Hezaimi, K. A., Askar, M., Kim, D., et al. (2014) · The International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry · doi:10.11607/prd.2069 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Kasperski, J., Rosak, P., Rój, R., et al. (2015) · PubMed · doi:10.5277/abb-00276-2014-02 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Xie, L., Qin, W., Gu, Y., Pathak, J., Zeng, S., & Du, M. (2020) · Medicina oral, patología oral y cirugía bucal · doi:10.4317/medoral.23647 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Reporting quality of abstracts of randomized controlled trials related to implant dentistry
Menne, M. C., Pandis, N., & Faggion, C. M. (2022) · Journal of Periodontology · doi:10.1002/jper.21-0396 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
EVIDENCE-BASED IMPLANT DENTISTRY: METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS, PROGRESS, AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES.
YAN, Q., WANG, Y., WU, X., ZHAO, Y., & ZHANG, Y. (2026) · Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice · doi:10.1016/j.jebdp.2026.102269
Neto, L. T., Wambier, L. M., & Chibinski, A. C. R. (2025) · The Saudi Dental Journal · doi:10.1007/s44445-025-00017-y
“Some published studies have, however, shown lower adherence to the CONSORT guidelines (Loguercio et al. 2017; Menne et al. 2022; Knippschild et al. 2021; Rezende et al. 2022; Flint and Harrison 2010).”
- Authors
- Knippschild, S., Loddenkemper, J., Tulka, S., Loddenkemper, C., & Baulig, C.
- Affiliations
- Witten/Herdecke University (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Knippschild, Stephanie
- Venue
- BMJ Open
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2021-08
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- e045372
- ISSN
- 2044-6055 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8365792
- OpenAlex
- W3193021120
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 0.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- BMJ Open (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Academic Writing and Publishing
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Academic Publishing and Open Access
- Keywords
- reporting quality, abstracts, randomized controlled trials, implant dentistry, reporting guidelines adherence, word count limits, abstract length, transparency in research reporting
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
