Exclusion rates in randomized controlled trials of treatments for physical conditions: a systematic review

ConclusionsThe majority of trials of treatments for physical conditions examined excluded the majority of patients with the condition being treated. Almost a quarter of the trials studied excluded over 90% of patients, more than half of trials excluded at least three quarters of patients, and four out of five trials excluded at least half of patients. A limitation is that most studies applied only a subset of eligibility criteria, so exclusion rates are likely under-estimated. Exclusion from trials of older people and people with co-morbidity and co-prescribing is increasingly untenable given population aging and increasing multimorbidity.Trial registrationPROSPERO registrationCRD42016042282.
Source: Trials - Category: Research Source Type: clinical trials