Methods Reporting Quality and its Association with Methods Section Length: A Cross-sectional Assessment of STROBE and CONSORT Reporting Adherence in Top-cited Dermatology Journals

Zachary Hopkins; Oscar Diaz; Jessica Forbes Kaprive; Ryan Carlisle; Christopher Moreno; Kanthi Bommareddy; Noareen Sheikh; Zachary Frost; Asfa Akhtar; Aaron M Secrest

Methods Reporting Quality and its Association with Methods Section Length: A Cross-sectional Assessment of STROBE and CONSORT Reporting Adherence in Top-cited Dermatology Journals

J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2023 Jul;16(7):54-62.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Drs. Hopkins and Secrest are with the Department of Dermatology at the University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City, Utah.
² Mr. Diaz is with the Nova Southeastern Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine in Davie, Florida.
³ Dr. Kaprive is with the Department of Dermatology in HCA Lewisgale Montgomery at Virginia College of Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia.
⁴ Mr. Carlisle is with the School of Medicine at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah.
⁵ Dr. Moreno is with the Department of Dermatology at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.
⁶ Dr. Bommareddy is with University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
⁷ Ms. Sheikh is with Nova Southeastern at the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine in Davie, Florida.
⁸ Mr. Frost is with the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine in Provo, Utah.
⁹ Dr. Akhtar is with the Department of Dermatology at Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston Florida.
¹⁰ Dr. Secrest is additionally with the Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Department of Dermatology, Te Whatu Ora-Waitaha Canterbury (Health New Zealand), in Christchurch, New Zealand.

PMID: 37560502
PMCID: PMC10409514

Abstract

Background: Adequate methods reporting in observational and trial literature is critical to interpretation and implementation.

Objective: Evaluate methodology reporting adherence in the dermatology literature and compare this to internal medicine (IM) literature.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional review of randomly-selected dermatology and IM manuscripts published between 2014-2018. Observational and trial articles were retrieved from PubMed. The primary outcome was percent adherence to STROBE or CONSORT methods-related checklist items (methods reporting score, MRS). Secondary outcomes included the relationship between methods section length (MSL) and MRS. We additionally compared these with IM literature. MRS and MSL were compared by overall article length, checklist type, field, journal, study topic, and funding source. Comparisons were assessed using univariable and multivariable linear regression.

Results: We identified 389 articles (172 dermatology and 217 IM). Within dermatology, we identified 83 clinical trials and 89 observational studies. Mean MRS was 61.4 percent. A one word increase in MSL corresponded to a 0.02 percent increase MRS (β=0.02, 95% CI 0.01-0.03). Mean MRS was 12.8 percent lower in the dermatology literature compared with IM (β=-12.8%, -15.6-[-9.91]). Mean dermatology MSL was 345 words shorter (β=-345, -413-[-277]). Studies from JAMA Dermatology, Journal of Investigative Dermatology, and British Journal of Dermatology, with government funding, and having supplemental methods had higher mean MRS's.

Conclusion: Methods reporting quality was low in dermatology. A weak relationship between MRS and MSL was observed. These data support enhancing researcher emphasis on methods reporting, editorial staff, and peer reviewers that more strictly enforce checklist reporting.

Keywords: CONSORT; Dermatology; STROBE; clinical trial; epidemiology; internal medicine; journal; methodology; observational study; study design.