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Table 1 Summary of results for trials from 2000 onwards

From: Validation of the global resource of eczema trials (GREAT database)

Review

Number of RCTs included in the review

Proportion of included eczema RCTs found in GREAT

Reasons for RCTs missing from GREAT

Sensitivity of the GREAT database (all missing RCTs)

Sensitivity of GREAT (RCTs missing in error)

Cochrane reviews

 

Ashcroft et al. 2007 [6]

31

23/31

Unpublished trial records obtained from a pharmaceutical company (n = 5) A report of the same trial was present in GREAT, but the citation for the included study was not (n = 2). One trial not included in GREAT in error (n = 1).

(23/31) 74%

(28/31) 87%

Bath-Hextall et al. 2008 [7]

2

2/2

No trials missing from the GREAT database

100%

100%

Birnie et al. 2008 [8]

7

6/7

Trial was not aiming to ‘treat’ the eczema, only reduce bacterial numbers (n = 1).

(6/7) 91%

100%

Boyle et al. 2008 [9]

11

10/11

Filtered incorrectly in error, should have been an included trial (n = 1)

(10/11) 91%

(10/11) 91%

Ersser et al. 2007 [9]

4

4/4

No trials missing from the GREAT database

100%

100%

Zhang et al. 2005 [11]

1

1/1

No trials missing from the GREAT database

100%

100%

Totals for Cochrane reviews

56 included RCTs

46/56 RCTs included in the GREAT database

10 trials missing from the GREAT database

(46/56) 82%

(52/56) 93%

Non Cochrane Reviews

 

Schram et al. 2011 [12]

2

2/2

No trials missing from the GREAT database

100%

100%

Yin et al. 2011 [13]

4

4/4

No trials missing from the GREAT database

100%

100%

Svensson et al. 2007 [14]

17

14/17

Abstract which did not present information about results (n = 1). Two Japanese phase II RCTs which fit GREAT inclusion criteria reported only within a review, omitted from GREAT in error.(n = 2)

(14/17) 82%

(14/17) 82%

Simonart et al. 2011 [15]

1

1/1

No trials missing from the GREAT database

100%

100%

Schmitt et al. 2011 [16]

8

8/8

No trials missing from the GREAT database

100%

100%

Totals for non-Cochrane Reviews

32 included RCTs

29/ 32 RCTs included in the GREAT database

3/32 trials missing from the GREAT database

(29/32) 91%

(29/32) 91%

Totals for Cochrane and Non-Cochrane reviews

88 included RCTs

75/88 RCTs included in the GREAT database

13/88 trials missing from the GREAT database

(13/88) 85%

(81/88) 92%

  1. Footnote: Totals in bold.