Evolution of Age and Female Representation in the Most-Cited Randomized Controlled Trials of Cardiology of the Last 20 Years
Abstract
Older adults and women have historically been underrepresented in randomized controlled trials of cardiology. Recent temporal evolution and factors influencing representation are incompletely investigated. We aimed to contrast age and female representation in the most influential randomized controlled trials in cardiology of the last 20 years to population prevalence and to assess the study factors affecting representation. Using Web of Science, we selected the 25 most-cited cardiology articles each year between 1996 and 2015, and extracted mean age, percentage of women, funding source, sample size, disease condition, intervention type, and exclusion criteria. The outcomes were the evolution of the mean age and the percentage of women over time. Protocol design elements and year of publication were assessed as predictors of outcomes in multivariable regressions. A total of 500 studies were analyzed, where the mean age was 62.6±7.4 years and the median percentage of women was 28.6% (22.2-40.5). Compared with population prevalence derived from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2016, gaps in representation were apparent and more pronounced for coronary artery disease (-5.0 years; -27.2% women) and heart failure...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Sex Disparities in Enrollment in Recent Randomized Clinical Trials of Acute Stroke: A Meta-analysis.
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Atrial Filbrillation
Atrial fibrillation refers to the abnormal heart rhythm characterized by rapid and irregular beating of the atria. Here is the latest research.
Cardiovascular Disease Pathophysiology
Cardiovascular disease involves several different processes that contribute to the pathological mechanism, including hyperglycemia, inflammation, atherosclerosis, hypertension and more. Vasculature stability plays a critical role in the development of the disease. Discover the latest research on cardiovascular disease pathophysiology here.
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly due to stroke and thromboembolism. Here is the latest research.
Arrhythmia
Arrhythmias are abnormalities in heart rhythms, which can be either too fast or too slow. They can result from abnormalities of the initiation of an impulse or impulse conduction or a combination of both. Here is the latest research on arrhythmias.