Assessing the Clinical Usefulness and Transparency of Knee Arthroplasty Randomized Controlled Trials

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences have conducted a systematic review to assess the clinical usefulness and transparency of knee arthroplasty randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2020 and 2024. The study aimed to evaluate the utility of TKA RCTs using the van't Hooft framework and examined the associations between utility scores and study characteristics, such as funding, sample size, and journal impact factor. The review identified 184 studies, with 29.3% meeting the problem-base criterion, and found that while 86.4% of the studies included patient-centered outcomes, most were secondary. The study also found a moderate correlation between transparency and clinical utility, highlighting the need for improved transparency in clinical research.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study reviewed 184 knee arthroplasty RCTs published between 2020 and 2024, with 29.3% meeting the problem-base criterion.
  • 86.4% of the studies included patient-centered outcomes, but most were secondary, indicating a lack of focus on patient-centered research.
  • The study found a moderate correlation between transparency and clinical utility, suggesting that transparently reporting clinical trials can improve their usefulness.
  • Only 23.9% of the studies were prospectively registered, and 4.9% provided raw data, highlighting the need for improved reporting practices in clinical trials.
  • The study's findings highlight the importance of transparency and clinical utility in knee arthroplasty RCTs, particularly in informing treatment decisions for patients with osteoarthritis.

Statistics:

  • 29.3% of the 184 studies reviewed met the problem-base criterion.
  • 86.4% of the studies included patient-centered outcomes, but most were secondary.
  • 23.9% of the studies were prospectively registered.
  • 4.9% of the studies provided raw data.
  • The correlation between transparency and clinical utility was moderate, with a coefficient of 0.28 (p < 0.001).

Sources:

  • "Assessing the Clinical Usefulness and Transparency of Knee Arthroplasty Randomized Controlled Trials (2020-2024): A Systematic Review Using the van't Hooft Framework." JBJS Open Access, vol. 10, no. 4.
  • NewsRx. "New Findings in Arthroplasty Described from Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences" Health & Medicine Week, October 31, 2025, p. 895.