N/A
Completed N=300
Impact of "Spin" on the Interpretation of Results of Randomized Trials in the Field of Cancer
the Study Focus on no Specific Condition
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01848704 ↗
Enrolled (actual)
300
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Apr 2024
Primary outcomePrimary: Interpretation of the Beneficial Effect of the Experimental Treatment — 3.6; 2.9 score on a scale — p=0.03
Summary
Randomized controlled trials (RCT) are the gold standard for therapeutic evaluation. Rapid dissemination of trial results and their translation into clinical practice is particularly important. Abstracts published or presented in conferences are a large, rapid and free method to disseminate these results. However, this mode of dissemination may have serious consequences for patients if abstracts are not an accurate and unbiased reflection of the trial results. Investigators have great freedom when writing their abstracts and articles: they can choose the data and decide how to present it. Consequently, they have many opportunities to shape readers' impressions of their results, that is, to add "spin" (ie, spin is a specific way of reporting to convince readers that the beneficial effect of the experimental treatment is higher than shown by the results).
Objective: To assess the impact of spin on the interpretation of results in abstracts of randomized controlled trials with non-statistically significant results in the field of cancer.
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Interpretation of the Beneficial Effect of the Experimental Treatment |
3.6; 2.9 | 0.03 sig |
| SECONDARY Overall Rigor of the Study Methodology |
4.5; 5.1 | 0.03 sig |
| SECONDARY Importance of the Study |
4.6; 4.9 | 0.18 |
| SECONDARY Interest in Reading Full Text |
5.1; 4.3 | 0.029 sig |
| SECONDARY Need for More Evidence (Run a New Trial) |
4.8; 4.2 | 0.061 |
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion criteria
The evaluators participating in this study were as follows:
The "corresponding authors" of published RCTs in the field of cancer Experts of a French national grant in the field of cancer
-investigator of trials registered in clinicaltrials.gov
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01848704). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication. Informational only — not medical advice.