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Ng JY, Lee MS, Liu JP, Steel A, Wieland LS, Witt CM, Moher D, Cramer H. How can meta-research be used to evaluate and improve the quality of research in the field of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine? Integr Med Res 2024; 13:101068. [PMID: 39253695 PMCID: PMC11381986 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2024.101068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The field of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) has garnered increasing attention due to its holistic approach to health and well-being. While the quantity of published research about TCIM has increased exponentially, critics have argued that the field faces challenges related to methodological rigour, reproducibility, and overall quality. This article proposes meta-research as one approach to evaluating and improving the quality of TCIM research. Meta-research, also known as research about research, can be defined as "the study of research itself: its methods, reporting, reproducibility, evaluation, and incentives". By systematically evaluating methodological rigour, identifying biases, and promoting transparency, meta-research can enhance the reliability and credibility of TCIM research. Specific topics of interest that are discussed in this article include the following: 1) study design and research methodology, 2) reporting of research, 3) research ethics, integrity, and misconduct, 4) replicability and reproducibility, 5) peer review and journal editorial practices, 6) research funding: grants and awards, and 7) hiring, promotion, and tenure. For each topic, we provide case examples to illustrate meta-research applications in TCIM. We argue that meta-research initiatives can contribute to maintaining public trust, safeguarding research integrity, and advancing evidence based TCIM practice, while challenges include navigating methodological complexities, biases, and disparities in funding and academic recognition. Future directions involve tailored research methodologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, policy implications, and capacity building in meta-research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Y Ng
- Institute of General Practice and Interprofessional Care, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Robert Bosch Center for Integrative Medicine and Health, Bosch Health Campus, Stuttgart, Germany
- Centre for Journalology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Myeong Soo Lee
- KM Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jian-Ping Liu
- Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Amie Steel
- Australian Research Consortium in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
| | - L Susan Wieland
- Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Institute for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudia M Witt
- Institute for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David Moher
- Centre for Journalology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Holger Cramer
- Institute of General Practice and Interprofessional Care, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Robert Bosch Center for Integrative Medicine and Health, Bosch Health Campus, Stuttgart, Germany
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Zhang XJ, Wang YJ, Lu X, Ying PJ, Qian SY, Liang J, Zheng GQ. The quality of reporting of randomized controlled trials of HuatuoZaizao pill for stroke. Front Pharmacol 2023; 13:1106957. [PMID: 36703753 PMCID: PMC9871376 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1106957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: HuatuoZaizao pill (HZP), a Chinese patent medicine, is often used in the treatment of stroke. However, there is still a lack of enough evidence to recommend the routine use of HZP for stroke. This study is aimed at evaluating the quality of reporting of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on HZP for stroke. Methods: RCTs on HuatuoZaizao pill for stroke were evaluated by using Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines and CONSORT extension criteria on reporting herbal interventions (CONSORT-CHM) guidelines. Microsoft Excel 2007 and SPSS20.0 was used for statistics analyses. Results: Seventeen studies involving 1801 stroke patients were identified. CONSORT-CHM has expanded 24.3% (9/37) items in CONSORT and added a small item. The average scores of CONSORT evaluation is 14.6, while the average scores of the CONSORT-CHM evaluation is 11.6. The central items in CONSORT as eligibility criterion, sample size calculation, primary outcome, method of randomization sequence generation, allocation concealment, implementation of randomization, description of blinding, and detailed statistical methods were reported in 77%, 6%, 100%, 47%, 6%, 6%, 6%, and 94% of trials, respectively. In terms of the CONSORT-CHM, none of the articles reported in detail the dosage form, origin, formula basis and so on of HZP, and only half of studies reported the outcome indicators related to Traditional Chinese Medicine syndromes. Conclusion: The overall report quality of RCT related to HZP is low. HZP still needs to report higher quality RCTs to prove its effectiveness and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jie Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yi-Jing Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiao Lu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Peng-Jie Ying
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shi-Yan Qian
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Liang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Guo-Qing Zheng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Guo-Qing Zheng,
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Wollenberg A, Christen‐Zäch S, Taieb A, Paul C, Thyssen J, Bruin‐Weller M, Vestergaard C, Seneschal J, Werfel T, Cork M, Kunz B, Fölster‐Holst R, Trzeciak M, Darsow U, Szalai Z, Deleuran M, Kobyletzki L, Barbarot S, Heratizadeh A, Gieler U, Hijnen D, Weidinger S, De Raeve L, Svensson Å, Simon D, Stalder J, Ring J. ETFAD/EADV Eczema task force 2020 position paper on diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults and children. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020; 34:2717-2744. [DOI: 10.1111/jdv.16892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Wollenberg
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Ludwig‐Maximilian‐University Munich Germany
| | - S. Christen‐Zäch
- Pediatric Dermatology Unit Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois Lausanne Switzerland
| | - A. Taieb
- University of Bordeaux Bordeaux France
| | - C. Paul
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Toulouse University and CHU Toulouse France
| | - J.P. Thyssen
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Herlev‐Gentofte HospitalUniversity of Copenhagen Hellerup Denmark
| | - M. Bruin‐Weller
- National Expertise Center for Atopic Dermatitis Department of Dermatology and Allergology University Medical Center Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - C. Vestergaard
- Department of Dermatology Aarhus University Hospital Aarhus Denmark
| | - J. Seneschal
- Department of Dermatology National Reference Center for Rare Skin Diseases Bordeaux University Hospitals Bordeaux France
| | - T. Werfel
- Division of Immunodermatology and Allergy Research Department of Dermatology and Allergy Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - M.J. Cork
- Sheffield Dermatology Research IICDUniversity of Sheffield UK
| | - B. Kunz
- Dermatologikum Hamburg Hamburg Germany
| | - R. Fölster‐Holst
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy University Hospital Schleswig‐Holstein Kiel Germany
| | - M. Trzeciak
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology Medical University of Gdansk Gdansk Poland
| | - U. Darsow
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein Technische Universität München Munich Germany
- ZAUM – Center of Allergy & Environment Munich Germany
| | - Z. Szalai
- Department of Dermatology Heim Pál National Children’s Institute Budapest Hungary
| | - M. Deleuran
- Department of Dermatology Aarhus University Hospital Aarhus Denmark
| | - L. Kobyletzki
- School of Medical Sciences Lund University Malmö Sweden
- School of Medical Sciences Örebro University Örebro Sweden
| | - S. Barbarot
- Department of Dermatology CHU Nantes UMR 1280 PhAN INRA, F‐44000 Nantes Université Nantes France
| | - A. Heratizadeh
- Division of Immunodermatology and Allergy Research Department of Dermatology and Allergy Hannover Medical School Hannover Germany
| | - U. Gieler
- Department of Dermatology University of Gießen and Marburg GmbH Gießen Germany
| | - D.J. Hijnen
- Department of Dermatology Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam The Netherlands
| | - S. Weidinger
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy University Hospital Schleswig‐Holstein Kiel Germany
| | - L. De Raeve
- Department of Dermatology Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZB)Free University of Brussels (VUB) Brussels Belgium
| | - Å. Svensson
- Department of Dermatology Skane University Hospital Malmö Sweden
| | - D. Simon
- Department of Dermatology, Inselspital Bern University Hospital University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - J.F. Stalder
- Department of Dermatology CHU Nantes UMR 1280 PhAN INRAE, F‐44000 Nantes Université Nantes France
| | - J. Ring
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein Technische Universität München Munich Germany
- Christiane‐Kühne Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK‐Care) Davos Switzerland
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Lev-Tov H. Bakuchiol may be another natural solution to reverse the course of nature. Br J Dermatol 2019; 180:253-254. [PMID: 30714113 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.17438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H Lev-Tov
- Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL,, U.S.A
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Samimi M, Chosidow O. Herbal interventions: make the grass greener! Br J Dermatol 2018; 178:827-829. [DOI: 10.1111/bjd.16486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Samimi
- Dermatology Department University of Tours Tours France
- Laboratory ‘Biologie des Infections à Polyomavirus’ ISP1282 INRA University of Tours Tours France
| | - O. Chosidow
- Department of Dermatology Hôpital Henri Mondor Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris Créteil France
- EA EpiDermE 7379 Université Paris Est Créteil Créteil France
- Centre de Preuves en Dermatologie Créteil France
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