Assessment of the Quality of Randomized Controlled Trials Report of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for allergic rhinitis by the CONSORT Statement、STRICTA and STRICTOM Guidelines
Authors: Kuang Yingping , Xiong Jun , Zhang Zheng , Liao Kai , Zhou Xiaohong , Xiang Jie , Li Jun , Xu Lingling , Zhou Haiping 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Objective
For the sake of discussion on the methods that enhance the reporting quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), regarding the assessment of the quality of RCT report in the treatment of allergic rhinitis with acupuncture and Moxibustion by the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials 2010 statement (CONSORT) 、the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture 2010 (STRICTA) and the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Moxibustion (STRICTOM).
Methods
Eight related databases from launch to September 2022 containing PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wan fang Database (WF), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP). Searching for acupuncture treatments were published in English and Chinese randomized controlled trials of AR.
Results
There were 67 RCTs, which were included sequentially. On account of the CONSORT statement, the positivity ratio was around 70%, and the project reports were fine performance “Structured summary,” “backdrop,” “Description of trial design,” “Eligibility criteria,” “Data acquisition,” “The meddle,” “Generation of random sequences” and “Registration”. Nevertheless, the positivity ratio was approximately 10%, the quality of the project report is no chop “Specific objectives or hypotheses,” “Research evaluation index modification,” “Any variation to the test outcomes,” “End and termination reasons,” “Type of randomization,” “Similarities in intervention programmers and specific content of blinding,” “Statistical methods for other data,” “Dichotomy outcomes,” “Why the trial ended or was stopped Ancillary analyses,” “Harms,” and “Generalizability Interpretation”. On the basis of the STRICTA guidelines, the positivity ratio was about 80%, the quality of the project reports good performance “Style of acupuncture,” “Names,” “Treatment regimen,”. The positivity rate about 50%, quality project report performance was poor “The degree of treatment varies,” “Number of needle insertions,” “Treat other components,” “Practitioner backdrop,” and “Reasonable regulate and comparison”. On the strength of the STRICTOM guidelines, the positivity ratio was around 80%, and quality project report performance was good “Type of moxibustion,” “Materials used for moxibustion,” “Names of acupoints,” “Treatment regimen,” and “Setting and context”. Quality project report “The degree of treatment varies,” “Patient posture and treatment environment,” “Treatment provider background,” and “Regulate and comparison interventions”, relatively low, with positivity ratio around 10%. Most projects were rated as "modest and substantive".
Conclusion
Though many RCTs of allergic rhinitis have been published in diverse journals, the entirety reporting quality of these articles was suboptimal, it cannot offer valid proof for clinical decision and systematic reviews. Nevertheless good quality reports provide scientific, effectiveness and safety for clinical treatment .Therefore, more journals should approve the CONSORT statement、STRICTA and STRICTOM Guidelines, when reporting articles, authors should rigorously follow these relevant provisions.