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Fernandes N, Bryant D, Griffith L, El-Rabbany M, Fernandes NM, Kean C, Marsh J, Mathur S, Moyer R, Reade CJ, Riva JJ, Somerville L, Bhatnagar N. Outcomes for patients with the same disease treated inside and outside of randomized trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis. CMAJ 2014; 186:E596-609. [PMID: 25267774 PMCID: PMC4216275 DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.131693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is unclear whether participation in a randomized controlled trial (RCT), irrespective of assigned treatment, is harmful or beneficial to participants. We compared outcomes for patients with the same diagnoses who did ("insiders") and did not ("outsiders") enter RCTs, without regard to the specific therapies received for their respective diagnoses. METHODS By searching the MEDLINE (1966-2010), Embase (1980-2010), CENTRAL (1960-2010) and PsycINFO (1880-2010) databases, we identified 147 studies that reported the health outcomes of "insiders" and a group of parallel or consecutive "outsiders" within the same time period. We prepared a narrative review and, as appropriate, meta-analyses of patients' outcomes. RESULTS We found no clinically or statistically significant differences in outcomes between "insiders" and "outsiders" in the 23 studies in which the experimental intervention was ineffective (standard mean difference in continuous outcomes -0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.1 to 0.04) or in the 7 studies in which the experimental intervention was effective and was received by both "insiders" and "outsiders" (mean difference 0.04, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.13). However, in 9 studies in which an effective intervention was received only by "insiders," the "outsiders" experienced significantly worse health outcomes (mean difference -0.36, 95% CI -0.61 to -0.12). INTERPRETATION We found no evidence to support clinically important overall harm or benefit arising from participation in RCTs. This conclusion refutes earlier claims that trial participants are at increased risk of harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Fernandes
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont.
| | - Dianne Bryant
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Lauren Griffith
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Mohamed El-Rabbany
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Nisha M Fernandes
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Crystal Kean
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Jacquelyn Marsh
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Siddhi Mathur
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Rebecca Moyer
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Clare J Reade
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - John J Riva
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Lyndsay Somerville
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
| | - Neera Bhatnagar
- Faculty of Medicine (Natasha Fernandes, Mathur), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Faculty of Health Sciences (Bryant, Marsh, Moyer) and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Bryant), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Bryant, Griffith), Department of Medicine (Nisha Fernandes), Health Sciences Library (Bhatnagar), Department of Family Medicine (Riva) and Division of Gynecologic Oncology (Reade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Dentistry (El-Rabbany), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medical and Applied Sciences (Kean), Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Somerville), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ont
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