Lack of pragmatic attitude of self-labelled pragmatic trials on manual therapy: a methodological review

Abstract

Background: Pragmatic randomized controlled trials are getting more interest to improve trials’ external validity. This study aimed to assess how pragmatic the design of the self-labelled pragmatic randomised controlled trials in the manual therapy field is. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for self-labelled pragmatic randomised controlled trials in the manual therapy field until January 2024 were included. Two independent reviewers collected and extracted data related to the intention of the trial, the rationale for the intervention, and specific features of the trial and performed an assessment using the PRECIS-2 tool. [...]