Journal of clinical epidemiology
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To document reporting of study characteristics of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the four leading general medical journals and to appraise the generalizability of the evidence. ⋯ Almost all RCTs showed deficiencies in description of patient selection and study setting and in reporting of patient characteristics related to functioning, comorbidities, and to behavioral, environmental, and inequity factors. The findings indicate that generalizability of this evidence may be limited. The benchmarking method can be used for planning and appraisal of clinical trials and systematic reviews.
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To determine how often stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trials reach their planned sample size, and what reasons are reported for choosing a stepped-wedge trial design. ⋯ About half of recently published stepped-wedge trials reached their planned sample size indicating that recruitment is also a major problem in these trials. Still, the stepped-wedge trial design can yield practical, ethical, and methodological advantages.