Reported quality of randomized controlled trials of physiotherapy interventions has improved over time.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the change with time of the reported methodological quality of randomized controlled trials of physiotherapy interventions.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

For all trials of physiotherapy interventions indexed on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), year of publication, and methodological quality scores (11-item PEDro scale and total PEDro score [range, 0-10]) were extracted. The relationship between trial quality and time was evaluated using regression analyses for the PEDro total score and individual quality items. The study was carried out in a university research center.

RESULTS

Data from 10,025 trials published since 1960 were analyzed. The total PEDro score was related to time (year of publication), with the total score increasing by an average of ∼0.6 points each decade between 1960 and 2009. The reported use of eight of the 11 individual items from the PEDro scale (intention-to-treat analysis, concealed allocation, groups similar at baseline, reporting of results of between-group statistical comparisons, point measures and measures of variability reported, subjects randomly allocated to groups, eligibility criteria specified, and blinding of assessors) also improved with time.

CONCLUSION

The reported methodological quality of randomized controlled trials of physiotherapy interventions has improved over time. Further improvement is still necessary.