Trial Designs and Characteristics in Laser Studies in Dermatology: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Lasers are increasingly used in Dermatology. Clinical studies are among the best means to assess their efficacy. OBJECTIVE: To obtain an overview of therapeutic laser studies in the field of Dermatology, the authors conducted a systematic review to describe the types of study published over the past 25 years, and their reporting in the abstracts. METHODS: The authors selected interventional studies that evaluated laser treatment on human subjects with skin diseases. Reviews or single-case reports were excluded. Journal characteristics, study design, and trial characteristics were recorded and analyzed according to trends over time and journal impact factor ratings. RESULTS: Of the 681 studies included, 57% were comparative, of which 46% were randomized, controlled studies. Trial duration was clearly mentioned in 63% of the abstracts. Trial duration was generally under 6 months (78%). Some parameters were rarely mentioned as follows: the number of patients lost to follow-up (only 12%), blinding (21%), and a clearly stated main outcome (36%). Over the 25 years, there was a significant trend toward an increased proportion of randomized, controlled trials, from 15% between 1990 and 2000 to 41% between 2010 and 2015 (p

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