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Abstract

Objectives

Determine the number of orthodontic randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in four key orthodontic journals from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2010, whether details about ethical approval (EA) and/or informed consent (IC) were reported and identify predictors for reporting EA and IC in orthodontic RCTs.

Design

Retrospective observational study.

Setting

American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (AJODO), Angle Orthodontist (AO), European Journal of Orthodontics (EJO) and Journal of Orthodontics (JO) from 2001 to 2010.

Interventions

AJODO, AO, EJO and JO were handsearched to identify all RCTs published from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2010.

Main outcome measure

The RCTs were assessed to identify: inclusion of details about EA and IC, publication journal, number of authors, number and location of centres involved, perceived statistician involvement, publication year and inclusion of random* in either the title, abstract or body of the text.

Results

218 RCTs were published. 109 (48·6%) had reported both EA and IC, 59 (27·1%) neither and 53 (12·9%) either EA or IC. Factors associated with an RCT reporting obtaining EA and IC: number of authors (P<0·001), random* in title (P<0·001), random* in abstract but not title (P<0·001), location of origin (P = 0·001), publication year (P = 0·003), journal of publication (P = 0·004) and number of centres (P = 0·008). Logistic regression suggested the most significant indicators of reporting EA and IC were: publication in the JO (P = 0·018), >6 authors (P<0·001), random* in the abstract but not title (P = 0·004) and publication after 2004 (P = 0·001).

Conclusions

RCTs were most likely to have reported EA and IC when published in the JO, after 2004 while having more than six authors and random* in the abstract but not title.

Keywords

Ethical approval informed consent predictors RCTs

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Predictors of Ethical Approval and Informed Consent in Orthodontic RCTs