背景 通过确保对卫生服务使用者和其他特定领域卫生保健决策者关注的指标进行常规测量，核心指标集（core outcome set，COS）可以提高研究的相关性。到目前为止，已经形成了 200 多个 COS，但这些报告的透明度还不理想。如果 COS 的报告不够完整和透明，COS 研究将无法实现其目标。 方法与结果 鉴于这些问题，由经验丰富的 COS 制定者、方法学家、期刊编辑、COS 潜在用户（临床试验者、系统评价员和临床指南制定者）以及患者代表组成的一个国际性工作组，制定了核心指标集报告标准（Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Reporting，COS-STAR）声明，作为 COS 研究报告的指南。其形成过程先后包括初始报告条目产生阶段、代表关键利益相关方群体的 200 名人员的两轮德尔菲问卷调查，最后是一个共识会议。COS-STAR 声明由一个包含 18 个条目的清单组成，这些条目是确保所有 COS 研究报告透明度和完整性的必要条目。条目清单重点规范了形成特定 COS 的研究报告需涉及的前言、方法、结果和讨论部分。COS-STAR 声明的一个局限性在于其形成过程中缺乏低、中收入国家的代表性意见。而 COS 对在这些国家和地区开展的研究具有同等的相关性，故今后该指南可能需要不断完善，以应对这些国家和地区 COS 形成的任何其他挑战。 结论 随着 COS 研究的不断开展，COS-STAR 声明将成为提高 COS 研究报告质量的有力工具，并使所有 COS 使用者受益。
This paper introduces the process of design and implementation on the clinical evidence database of acupuncture (ACU-CED), including establishing expert groups on the basis of demands to formulate top-design, project implementation plans and standard, comprehensively searching publications of clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture and moxibustion, conducting strictly data extraction and evaluation, and eventually achieve automatic utilization of clinical evidence. ACU-CED will become the first structural data platform with the function of searching-screening-result, analysis-data, and statistics-evidence extraction, which fills in gapes in database of clinical evidence sources, increases efficiency of evidence transformation, and reduces waste of resources. It will also achieve auto-completion of systematic review/meta-analysis as well as visualization of clinical evidence, so as to provide evidence for clinical decision, guidelines and disease spectrum of acupuncture therapy.
The Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Reporting (COS-STAR) is a latest guide tool made by Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) group. It can enhance the transparency and completeness of Core Outcome Set (COS) report. This paper introduces the generation process, report items and application of COS-STAR to provide reference for domestic similar researches.
Objective To evaluate the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of traditional Chinese medicine published inChinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, and to analyze changes. Methods We searched CNKI to collect RCTs published inChinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine (CJITWM) in 2014. Reporting quality of RCTs was evaluated by using CONSORT 2010 checklist, the methodological quality and ethics requirements were also analyzed. The changes of quality was also analyzed by comparing with those of 2004. Results A total of 80 RCTs were included. The top three interventions were Chinese patent medicine, decoction, acupuncture. Items with high reporting rate (>80%) included abstract, participants, randomization sequences and informed consent. Items with reporting rate of 50% to 80% including introduction, interventions, harms and funding, and others were all less than 50%. Among them, the reporting quality of title, trial design, outcomes, sample size, type of randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, numbers analyzed, outcomes and estimation, generalizability, interpretation, registration and protocol was less than 10%. Compared with those of 2004, the quality of reporting, methodology, and ethics has all increased. Significant progress was made in items of structured summary, background and objectives, collecting participants, adverse reactions, quality control standards of TCM interventions, diagnostic evaluation criteria of TCM, follow-up, funding, ethical approval and informed consent. But small progress was made in randomization, allocation concealment and implementation, sample size, blinding and ITT. There has been no participant flow. Conclusion The quality of reporting, methodology, and ethics of RCTs published inChinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine have made some progress, however, trial design, outcomes selection, estimation of sample size, randomization, blinding, registration and participant flow are still needed to be further improved.
The issue of waste in medical research has been widely concerned in recent years. Research waste is also significant in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This study summarized the causes of research waste in TCM and provided suggestions to researchers and administrators for reducing research waste and promoting rational use of medical research resources.
With the advancement of modern research in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), evidence regarding the clinical efficacy and mechanisms of action of TCM has rapidly accumulated. However, due to a lack of methodological safeguards, the disconnection between clinical and basic research in TCM has become increasingly prominent, making it difficult to form an evidence chain that supports the scientific value of TCM in a manner that is "clear and understandable". Therefore, it is necessary to develop methods for the translation and integration of clinical and basic research evidence oriented towards clinical value, to form a reliable evidence chain that can further discover patterns, confirm efficacy, and highlight advantages. This article discusses the construction and evaluation methods of the evidence chain for the efficacy of TCM, aiming to provide theoretical and methodological references for related work.
The consolidated standards of reporting trials (CONSORT) is an internationally recognized guideline for reporting randomized controlled trials (RCTs), aiming to enhance the transparency, completeness, and reliability of trial findings. In response to the ongoing evolution of clinical trial methodology, the CONSORT group has issued updates to the CONSORT statement in 2001, 2010, and most recently in 2025. This article provides an applied interpretation of the background and key components of the CONSORT 2025 statement through the lens of a representative randomized controlled trial, with the aim of offering practical guidance and reference for domestic researchers utilizing this reporting tool.
To describe the construction and application of clinical evidence database of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM-CED) so as to provide evidence for TCM research. The construction process primarily includes: expert team building, TCM-CED function module design, evidence collection and quality control. The applications of TCM-CED primarily include the following aspects: automatic generation of systematic review/meta-analysis in TCM, automatic generation of evidence reports on dominant diseases of TCM, automatic generation of evidence index of Chinese patent medicine, optimizing the selection of outcomes in TCM research, tracking methodological and reporting quality of TCM research, and promoting international dissemination of TCM evidence. With the rapid development of information technology and artificial intelligence, TCM-CED will be combined with artificial intelligence to achieve the construction of all-dimensional TCM evidence chain and the automation of the whole process.
Objectives To systematically review the efficacy and safety of Yangzhengxiaoji capsule combined with chemotherapy for malignant digestive tract tumor. Methods CNKI, WanFang Data, PubMed, EMbase, SinoMed and The Cochrane Library databases were searched online to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Yangzhengxiaoji capsule combined with chemotherapy for malignant tumor of digestive tract from inception to November 20th, 2017. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using ReMan 5.3 software. Resluts A total of 15 RCTs were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: compared with the chemotherapy alone, Yangzhengxiaoji capsule combined with chemotherapy could significantly improve the disease control rate (RR=1.26, 95%CI 1.07 to 1.49, P<0.000 01), the clinical efficacy of TCM syndrome (RR=1.71, 95%CI 1.50 to 1.96,P<0.000 01), and the quality of life scores of patients (RR=1.44, 95%CI 1.13 to 1.82,P=0.003). The combination therapy could also improve the immune function of patients and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions. Conclusions Current evidence shows that chemotherapy combined with Yangzhengxiaoji capsule is superior to chemotherapy alone for disease control of malignant tumor of digestive tract, clinical efficacy of TCM syndrome, the quality of life, and improving immune function. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are required to verify above conclusions.
Since its initial publication in 2013, the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) guidelines have received widespread international attention. The guidelines aim to enhance the standardization and transparency of clinical trial protocol reporting. With continuous advancements in clinical trial methodologies, the SPIRIT group released an updated version, SPIRIT 2025, in 2025. The SPIRIT 2025 reporting guideline comprises 34 items; compared with the 2013 version, 2 items were added, 5 were revised, 2 were merged, and 3 were deleted. Its core updates are reflected in: the addition of an "open science" section, which emphasizes trial registration, accessibility of the trial protocol and statistical analysis plan, a data sharing statement, and a dissemination policy for research findings; the addition of a "patient and public involvement" item, which requires the protocol to describe the participation of patients or the public in the trial's design, conduct, and reporting phases; structural optimization, which reorganizes the original items into five major sections for clearer logic and strongly recommends the use of a schedule diagram to present the trial timeline. This article provides an illustrative interpretation of the items contained in the SPIRIT 2025 statement using a randomized controlled trial protocol, aiming to offer guidance and convenience for domestic researchers utilizing this tool.