Analyses of accuracy and quality of abstracts of randomized controlled trials in physiotherapy for low back pain

• Grant number: 15/16953-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: January 01, 2016
• End date: April 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Oliveira Pena Costa
• Grantee: Dafne Port Nascimento
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação, Pesquisa e Extensão. Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Type of study: Bibliometric analyses of randomized controlled trials. Introduction: Abstracts of randomized controlled trials should be structured, clear and reflect exactly what was accomplished in the study. The abstract is the main base of information' assessment of a study and might be the only source of access to the healthcare professional, showing the importance of an accurate and good quality abstract. Studies in several health areas assessed the quality and accuracy of abstracts and found discrepancies like omission of information, inconsistent results with the text, poor quality in abstracts' structuring, exaggerate interpretation of results and selective bias. Justification: Studies of this type in the field of physiotherapy were not accomplished so far. Objective: To analyze the quality of abstracts of randomized controlled trials in physiotherapy for low back pain and the accuracy of results and conclusion of abstracts when compared to the actual text. Methods: A randomized sample of 200 randomized controlled trials in low back pain published and indexed in the PEDro database will be analyzed. Information will be extracted in regards to structure of the article and abstract. Besides that, information of the abstract will be compared with the information of the actual text. Expected results: As in other healthcare areas, abstracts of clinical studies in physiotherapy for low back pain might present inconsistencies when compared to the text. These results can assist periodic editors to change their editorial politics in regards to abstracts. The results can also lead healthcare professionals to avoid taking clinical decisions only based in article's abstracts. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NASCIMENTO, DAFNE PORT; GONZALEZ, GABRIELLE ZOLDAN; ARAUJO, AMANDA COSTA; PENA COSTA, LEONARDO OLIVEIRA. Description of low back pain clinical trials in physical therapy: a cross sectional study. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, v. 23, n. 5, p. 448-457, SEP-OCT 2019. (15/16953-2)

NASCIMENTO, DAFNE P.; COSTA, LEONARDO O. P.; GONZALEZ, GABRIELLE Z.; MAHER, CHRISTOPHER G.; MOSELEY, ANNE M.. Abstracts of Low Back Pain Trials Are Poorly Reported, Contain Spin of Information, and Are Inconsistent With the Full Text: An Overview Study. ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION, v. 100, n. 10, p. 1976-1985, OCT 2019. (15/16953-2)