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IMPACT OF QUALITY ITEMS ON STUDY OUTCOME

Treatments in Acute Lateral Ankle Sprains

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2001

Arianne P. Verhagen
Affiliation:
Maastricht University and Erasmus University Rotterdam
Robert A. de Bie
Affiliation:
Maastricht University
Anton F. Lenssen
Affiliation:
Maastricht University Hospital
Henrica C. W. de Vet
Affiliation:
Maastricht University and Vrije Universiteit
Alphons G. H. Kessels
Affiliation:
Academic Medical Hospital
Maarten Boers
Affiliation:
Vrije Universiteit and University Hospital
Piet A. van den Brandt
Affiliation:
Maastricht University

Abstract

Objective: This study investigates the influence of different aspects of methodologic quality on the conclusions of a systematic review concerning treatments of acute lateral ankle sprain.

Method: A data set of a systematic review of 44 trials was used, of which 22 trials could be included in this study. Quality assessment of the individual studies was performed using the Delphi list. We calculated effect sizes of the main outcome measure in each study in order to evaluate the relationship between overall quality scores and outcome. Next, we investigated the impact of design attributes on pooled effect sizes by subgroup analysis.

Results: The quality of most studies (82%) was low; only 4 of 22 trials were of high quality. Studies with proper randomization and blinding procedure produce a slightly higher (not statistically significant) effect estimate compared to the other studies.

Conclusion: Previous research has suggested that methodologically poorly designed studies tend to over-estimate the effect estimate. Our study does not confirm these conclusions.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2000 Cambridge University Press

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