COCHRANE ROB 2 · 偏誤風險評讀
THI 下降幅度(3 週,深針 vs 淺針)
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總體判斷 OVERALL+Low(低風險)
Domain 與 overall 判斷由程式依 Cochrane RoB 2 官方演算法計算;AI 只負責回答下方各訊號問題。符號:+ 低風險、? 有些疑慮、- 高風險(不只靠顏色)。
風險偏誤紅綠燈
- +Domain 1 隨機化過程:Low(低風險)
- +Domain 2 偏離預定介入:Low(低風險)
- +Domain 3 缺失結局資料:Low(低風險)
- +Domain 4 結局測量:Low(低風險)
- +Domain 5 選擇性報告:Low(低風險)
- +總體(Overall):Low(低風險)
中文摘要(給一般讀者)
這篇論文的偏誤風險與 limitation
本研究為平行組隨機對照試驗(30 名成人耳鳴患者 1:1 分入深針 DA vs 淺針 SA,各組 15 人),本評讀針對臨床療效結局=THI 自基線至 3 週的下降幅度組間比較(DA 下降 16.67、SA 下降 3.13,P=0.043)。隨機化面向良好:SAS 產生序列、區組隨機、分配由獨立協調員於基線與同意後執行(隱匿判可能適當),基線無失衡。偏離介入面向:患者、資料收集與分析人員均盲化、療程標準化且禁止額外治療、全數 30 人依原組別分析(等同 ITT),僅施針者無法盲化(針灸試驗常態)。缺失資料面向極佳:無失訪、15/15 全數分析。結局測量面向:THI 為適當自評量表、兩組同法同時測量,患者即評估者但已盲化,主要殘餘疑慮在於深針得氣與淺針無針感的針感差異可能讓部分患者察覺分組、影響主觀自評(4.3/4.4 保留可能否的殘餘風險)。選擇性報告面向:試驗註冊且設計預先發表、療效指標事前定義,惟註冊曾將對照組誤登為雷射針灸(後於計畫更正)、統計計畫定案時點無法逐項核對。整體而言本結局偏誤傾向偏低至中等,主要不確定來自小樣本探索性試驗中患者盲化的可信度(針感差異)與分配隱匿機制未明述。
詳細評讀(給專業讀者)
Domain 1:隨機化過程 — 判斷:Low
偏誤來源:隨機分組的過程——分配序列是否隨機產生、是否隱蔽到分組為止、基線(第一期開始時)是否平衡。
1.1 Was the allocation sequence random?
分配序列是否隨機產生?
- 回答:是(Yes — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:SAS software (SAS Institute, Inc., USA) was used to generate a random sequence and the block size was 6.使用 SAS 軟體產生隨機序列,區組大小為 6。
- 理由:明確以電腦軟體(SAS)產生隨機序列並採區組隨機(block size 6),屬適當的隨機化方法。
1.2 Was the allocation sequence concealed until participants were enrolled and assigned to interventions?
分配是否隱蔽到分組為止?
- 回答:可能是(Probably yes — 綜合判斷後傾向「是」)
- 原文引述:A clinical research coordinator screened and enrolled participants. After the participants completed a baseline evaluation and gave an informed consent, another clinical research coordinator who was not involved in data collection randomly stratified the subjects into deep acupuncture or shallow acupuncture group.由一名臨床研究協調員負責篩選與納入受試者。受試者完成基線評估並簽署知情同意後,才由另一名未參與資料收集的協調員依隨機序列將其分入深針或淺針組。
- 理由:納入與分配由不同人員負責,且分組發生在完成基線評估與知情同意之後、由未參與資料收集的獨立協調員執行,暗示分配對納入者具隱匿性;惟未明述隱匿的具體機制(如中央分配或密封信封),故判可能是而非確定。
1.3 Did baseline differences between intervention groups suggest a problem with the randomization process?
(第一期開始時)基線差異是否暗示隨機化有問題?
- 回答:否(No — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:There was no statistical difference between two groups in terms of demographic data (table 1).兩組在人口學資料上無統計差異(表 1)。
- 理由:表 1 顯示年齡、性別、耳鳴側別、病程、純音、頻率及基線 THI 皆無顯著差異(P 值均 >0.05),未見暗示隨機化出問題的基線失衡。
Domain 2:偏離預定介入 — 判斷:Low
偏誤來源:實際執行時偏離預定的介入——盲性如何、是否依「隨機分到的組別」分析(ITT)。
2.1 Were participants aware of their assigned intervention during the trial?
參與者是否(在每一期)知道自己的分組?
- 回答:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:The patients... were blinded to group allocation... The patients were only told that they would be randomly provided with one of two acupuncture therapies based on real acupoints. The patients assumed the supine position during acupuncture, so they could not see the depth of acupuncture.受試者對分組盲化;只被告知會隨機接受兩種以真實穴位為基礎的針灸療法之一;受試者採仰臥位、看不到進針深度。
- 理由:受試者被盲化,兩組皆以真實穴位施針、僅深度不同且無法目視,患者不知自己屬深針或淺針組。惟深針追求得氣(酸麻脹重),淺針無提插撚轉、不求得氣,兩者針感差異可能讓部分患者察覺,故盲化未必完全,判可能否。
2.2 Were carers and people delivering the interventions aware of participants' assigned intervention during the trial?
照護/執行者是否(在每一期)知道分組?
- 回答:是(Yes — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:Due to the responsibility of delivering acupuncture, blinding of acupuncturists was quite difficult to achieve.由於須負責施針,針灸師的盲化相當難以達成。
- 理由:施針者(針灸師)必然知道所施為深針或淺針,論文明言無法盲化施治者。
2.3 Were there deviations from the intended intervention that arose because of the trial context?
是否因試驗情境造成偏離?
- 回答:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:Acupoints used in the two groups were the same... No additional treatment was allowed... Procedures were the same as in the deep acupuncture group but with no needle manipulation for De qi.兩組使用相同穴位;不允許任何額外治療;淺針組程序與深針組相同、僅不施行求得氣的手法。
- 理由:兩組療程標準化、除分配介入外不允許額外治療,且患者已盲化,未見因試驗情境(如患者/施治者知情)而產生的非計畫性偏離。論文未報告任何偏離事件。
2.4 Were these deviations likely to have affected the outcome?
這些偏離是否可能影響結局?
- 回答:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 2.3 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
2.5 Were these deviations from intended intervention balanced between groups?
這些偏離在兩組間是否平衡?
- 回答:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 2.4 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
2.6 Was an appropriate analysis used to estimate the effect of assignment to intervention?
是否用了適當分析(ITT)?
- 回答:是(Yes — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:Randomized (n=30)... DA group (n=15)... Analyzed (n=15)... SA group (n=15)... Analyzed (n=15).隨機分派 30 人;深針組 15 人分析 15 人;淺針組 15 人分析 15 人。
- 理由:流程圖顯示 30 名隨機分派者全數(各組 15/15)納入分析、無失訪或排除,等同意向治療分析,屬適當估計指派效果的分析。
2.7 Was there potential for a substantial impact (on the result) of the failure to analyse participants in the group to which they were randomized?
未依隨機分組分析,是否可能對結果造成重大影響?
- 回答:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 2.6 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
Domain 3:缺失結局資料 — 判斷:Low
偏誤來源:結局資料缺失——是否幾乎所有人都有資料、缺失是否可能與病情(結局真實值)相關。
3.1 Were data for this outcome available for all, or nearly all, participants randomized?
是否幾乎所有受試者都有此結局的資料?
- 回答:是(Yes — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:Assessed for HRV and THI (n=15)... Analyzed (n=15)... Analyzed (n=15).各組 15 人皆完成 HRV 與 THI 評估、皆納入分析(各 15 人)。
- 理由:流程圖顯示兩組 15/15 皆完成 THI 評估並納入分析,無缺失資料,結局資料對幾乎所有隨機分派者皆可得。
3.2 Is there evidence that the result was not biased by missing outcome data?
是否有證據顯示結果未受缺失資料偏誤?
- 回答:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 3.1 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
3.3 Could missingness in the outcome depend on its true value?
缺失是否可能取決於結局真實值?
- 回答:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 3.2 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
3.4 Is it likely that missingness in the outcome depended on its true value?
缺失是否很可能取決於結局真實值?
- 回答:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 3.3 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
Domain 4:結局測量 — 判斷:Low
偏誤來源:結局的測量——測量工具是否恰當、評估者是否盲化、評估是否可能受分組知情影響。
4.1 Was the method of measuring the outcome inappropriate?
結局測量方法是否不適當?
- 回答:否(No — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) consists of 25 questions. Each question of the THI was answered by the patient as "often" (4 points), "sometimes" (2 points), or "never" (0 point) with a maximum total score of 100.THI 由 25 題組成,患者對每題回答「常常」(4 分)、「有時」(2 分)或「從不」(0 分),總分最高 100 分。
- 理由:THI 為國際廣泛使用、具信效度的耳鳴障礙自評量表,用於評估耳鳴主症負荷屬適當的測量方法。
4.2 Could measurement or ascertainment of the outcome have differed between intervention groups?
(每一序列內)結局測量是否可能因介入而異?
- 回答:否(No — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:The assessment was at baseline (before treatment initiation) and 3 weeks later (after the last acupuncture treatment).評估在基線(治療開始前)與 3 週後(末次針灸治療後)進行。
- 理由:兩組皆以相同的 THI 量表、在相同時間點(基線與 3 週)由患者填答,測量方式在兩組間一致。
4.3 Were outcome assessors aware of the intervention received by study participants?
結局評估者是否知道受試者接受的介入?
- 回答:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:The patients, data collection staff, and data analysts were blinded to group allocation.受試者、資料收集人員與資料分析人員均對分組盲化。
- 理由:THI 為患者自填、患者即結局評估者;論文載明患者(及資料收集/分析人員)皆盲化分組,故評估者應不知所受介入。惟深針得氣與淺針無針感的差異可能讓部分患者推測分組,盲化未必完全,判可能否。
4.4 Could assessment of the outcome have been influenced by knowledge of intervention received?
結局評估是否可能受介入知情影響?
- 回答:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 4.3 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
4.5 Is it likely that assessment of the outcome was influenced by knowledge of intervention received?
結局評估是否很可能受介入知情影響?
- 回答:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 4.4 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
Domain 5:選擇性報告 — 判斷:Low
偏誤來源:選擇性報告結果——是否依事前訂定的分析計畫分析、有無從多個結果中挑選有利者報告(交叉另含:是否因偵測到殘留而只報第一期)。
5.1 Were the data that produced this result analysed in accordance with a pre-specified analysis plan that was finalized before unblinded outcome data were available for analysis?
是否依事前訂定(取得未盲化資料前定版)的分析計畫分析?
- 回答:可能是(Probably yes — 綜合判斷後傾向「是」)
- 原文引述:This trial was registered with ISRCTN at Current Controlled Trials (ISRCTN 58013563) and the design had been pre-published. The efficacy measure was defined as the decrease in the THI score.本試驗於 ISRCTN 註冊(ISRCTN 58013563),設計已預先發表;療效指標定義為 THI 分數的下降。
- 理由:試驗有註冊且設計(含分析方案)已預先發表為研究計畫,療效指標(THI 下降)事前明訂,支持依事前計畫分析。惟論文承認註冊時對照組誤登記為雷射針灸(實為淺針,已於計畫更正),且無法逐項核對統計分析計畫的定案時點,故判可能是而非確定是。
5.2 Is the numerical result being assessed likely to have been selected, on the basis of the results, from multiple eligible outcome measurements (e.g. scales, definitions, time points) within the outcome domain?
此數值結果是否可能依結果,從多個量表/定義/時間點中選出?
- 回答:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:The assessment was at baseline (before treatment initiation) and 3 weeks later (after the last acupuncture treatment).評估在基線與 3 週後兩個時間點進行。
- 理由:THI 為單一量表、僅於基線與 3 週兩個時間點量測,報告的組間比較(改變量,P=0.043)與計畫一致,從多個量測中挑選結果的空間很小。
5.3 Is the numerical result being assessed likely to have been selected, on the basis of the results, from multiple eligible analyses of the data?
此數值結果是否可能依結果,從多種分析中選出?
- 回答:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:Student's t test was used for analysis of age and THI... The efficacy measure was defined as the decrease in the THI score.以 Student t 檢定分析年齡與 THI;療效指標定義為 THI 分數下降。
- 理由:THI 以事前定義的「分數下降」為療效指標、用單一 t 檢定進行組間比較,未見多重分析(如多種校正模型、亞組挑選)中擇優報告的跡象。