CASP Checklist: 11 questions to help you make sense of a Randomised Controlled Trial

CASP Checklist: 11 questions to help you make sense of a Randomised Controlled Trial How to use this appraisal tool: Three broad issues need to be considered when appraising atrial: Are the results of the study valid? (Section A)What are the results? (Section B)Will the results help locally? (Section C) The 11 questions on the following pages are designed to help you think about these issuessystematically. The first three questions are screening questions and can be answeredquickly. If the answer to both is “yes”, it is worth proceeding with the remaining questions.There is some degree of overlap between the questions, you are asked to record a “yes”,“no” or “can’t tell” to most of the questions. A number of italicised prompts are given aftereach question. These are designed to remind you why the question is important. Record yourreasons for your answers in the spaces provided.About: These checklists were designed to be used as educational pedagogic tools, as part of aworkshop setting, therefore we do not suggest a scoring system. The core CASP checklists(randomised controlled trial & systematic review) were based on JAMA 'Users’ guides to themedical literature 1994 (adapted from Guyatt GH, Sackett DL, and Cook DJ), and piloted withhealth care practitioners.For each new checklist, a group of experts were assembled to develop and pilot the checklistand the workshop format with which it would be used. Over the years overall adjustmentshave been made to the format, but a recent survey of checklist users reiterated that the basicformat continues to be useful and appropriate.Referencing: we recommend using the Harvard style citation, i.e.: Critical Appraisal SkillsProgramme (2018). CASP (insert name of checklist i.e. Randomised Controlled Trial) Checklist.[online] Available at: URL. Accessed: Date Accessed.©CASP this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution – Non-Commercial-Share A like. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ www.casp-uk.netCritical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) part of Oxford Centre for Triple Value Healthcare Ltd www.casp-uk.net

2 Section A: Are the results of the trial valid? 1. Did the trial address a clearlyfocused issue? Yes HINT: An issue can be ‘focused’ In terms of• the population studied• the intervention given• the comparator given• the outcomes considered Can’t Tell No Comments: 2. Was the assignment ofpatients to treatmentsrandomised?Yes HINT: Consider• how this was carried out• was the allocation sequence concealedfrom researchers and patients Can’t Tell No Comments: 3. Were all of the patientswho entered the trialproperly accounted for atits conclusion?Yes HINT: Consider• was the trial stopped early• were patients analysed in the groups towhich they were randomised Can’t Tell No Comments: Is it worth continuing?
Paper for appraisal and reference: