They conclude that light can be used as a proxy for nominal GDP, but that this approach only adds value to the official statistics for countries with poor reporting standards and low data quality.
The fact that several RCTs did not clearly mention adverse effects demonstrates the poor reporting standards of acupuncture research.
Thirdly, by evaluating published articles we recognise our findings are clearly dependent on the reporting standards within the articles; thus any apparent research deficiencies or methodological gaps may just reflect poor reporting standards.
By evaluating published articles, our review findings are clearly dependent on reporting standards within the articles, and so any apparent research deficiencies identified may merely reflect poor reporting standards.
In the past prognosis studies have hardly ever been registered, do not have a protocol or pre-defined analysis plan, and generally have poor reporting standards, which all increase the threat of negative findings remaining unpublished [ 8, 10, 71].
However, it is estimated that approximately 70% of core analysis data are unfit for purpose as a consequence of ill-conceived test programme design, lack of planning, poor laboratory practice, inadequate reporting standards and unrepresentative test samples or test conditions.
The results are illustrated in figure 2. All included papers were assessed for reporting standard and overall this was poor.
Another challenge for the uptake of PRO evidence from RCTs is poor PRO reporting according to CONSORT (CONsolidated Standards for Reporting) reporting standards [20, 21, 22].
Poor reporting occurred in most of the studies in the description of the reference standard, reporting of uninterpretable results, and explanation of withdrawals from the study.
Poor reporting in meta-analyses and RCTs is crucial because both designs are considered to be the gold standard in evidence-based practice.
