The fragility of statistically significant findings from randomized controlled trials in pediatric appendicitis: a systematic review
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In brief
In brief
This systematic review evaluates the robustness of statistically significant findings in pediatric appendicitis randomized controlled trials by calculating the Fragility Index. The study assesses how many outcome event changes would be needed to reverse statistical significance, providing insight into the reliability of current evidence guiding clinical practice in pediatric appendicitis management.
Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.
Purpose
Randomized controlled trials (RCT) in pediatric appendicitis remain limited, and the robustness of available evidence is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the fragility of results in pediatric appendicitis RCTs.
Methods
A systematic search of Embase and MEDLINE was performed. Eligible studies were two-armed RCTs that included at least one statistically significant dichotomous outcome, had parallel-group allocation, and assessed pediatric patients (0–17) with a primary diagnosis of appendicitis. The Fragility Index (FI) for one statistically significant outcome per trial was calculated using a Fisher's exact test, with statistical significance set at p