COCHRANE ROB 2 · 偏誤風險評讀
上腹痛脹完全消失率(4週)
← 回到「慢性胃炎」的圖表
總體判斷 OVERALL?Some concerns(有些疑慮)
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:Some concerns(有些疑慮)
- ?Domain 3 缺失結局資料:Some concerns(有些疑慮)
- +Domain 4 結局測量:Low(低風險)
- ?Domain 5 選擇性報告:Some concerns(有些疑慮)
- ?總體(Overall):Some concerns(有些疑慮)
中文摘要(給一般讀者)
這篇論文的偏誤風險與 limitation
本試驗為五中心、雙盲、安慰劑與陽性對照(三九胃泰)三臂平行設計(2:1:1),本評讀只看利胃膠囊 vs 安慰劑。隨機序列以 SAS 軟體產生並依中心分層,三種膠囊外觀相同、密封瓶分裝,分配隱匿細節雖未寫明但可能妥當,基線僅活動性發炎一項有差異,隨機面向偏誤風險低。受試者、研究者與評估者皆盲,偏離介入的疑慮小,但主要結局只以完成者(PPS)分析:隨機 240 人中 9 人拒服即被排除,各組另有退出、失聯與療效不佳者被剔除,未提供全分析集的療效結果,屬不當分析;因組間效果很大,排除人數不太可能翻轉結論。缺失資料方面,利胃組約 18%、安慰劑組約 14% 沒有結局資料,原因含「療效不佳」,且未做敏感度分析,有一定疑慮。結局為病人自述症狀但雙盲,測量偏誤風險低。試驗於收案結束六年後才回溯註冊,無法確認分析計畫在解盲前定案。整體而言,本結局的主要偏誤來源是只做完成者分析與缺失資料處理,其次是回溯註冊,估計效果方向可信但幅度可能被高估。
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:The randomization sequence was generated using SAS 9.2 software to assign the appropriate randomization segment for each statistical center.隨機序列以 SAS 9.2 軟體產生,並為各統計中心分配相應的隨機區段。
- 理由:以電腦軟體(SAS 9.2)產生隨機序列,並依中心分層,屬適當的隨機方法,判為是。
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:To maintain the double-blind design, the three types of capsules were manufactured to have an identical appearance in color and size. They were packaged in uniform, sealed polyethylene plastic bottles and labeled similarly為維持雙盲設計,三種膠囊製成顏色與大小完全相同的外觀,並以統一、密封的聚乙烯塑膠瓶包裝,標籤相同。
- 理由:論文未直接描述分配隱匿的程序(未寫中央隨機或藥瓶是否依序編號)。但本試驗由藥廠製備外觀相同的試驗藥與安慰劑,以外觀一致的密封藥瓶分裝、依中心分配隨機區段,屬官方指引所說「外觀相同的藥品容器」型的隱匿方式,納入者難以預知下一位的分組;因細節不足(例如未提依序編號),判為可能是而非是。
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:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:No significant differences were observed among the three groups for most characteristics, except for the score of active inflammation, which was statistically significant (P < 0.05).三組大多數基線特徵無顯著差異,僅活動性發炎分數有統計顯著差異(P < 0.05)。
- 理由:基線表約二十多項特徵中只有活動性發炎分數達顯著(安慰劑組較高),病程也是安慰劑組較長(P=0.091),這種零星差異與機會造成的不平衡相符,不足以暗示隨機過程出問題。需注意基線表是依完成者(PPS)列出而非全部隨機者,但仍無明確跡象顯示隨機失敗,判為可能否。
Domain 2:偏離預定介入 — 判斷:Some concerns
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:LWC, SJWT, and the placebo were all formulated as capsules. To maintain the double-blind design, the three types of capsules were manufactured to have an identical appearance in color and size. ... ensuring that the participants, investigators, and outcome assessors remained blinded to the treatment allocation利胃膠囊、三九胃泰與安慰劑皆製成膠囊;為維持雙盲,三種膠囊外觀顏色大小相同……確保受試者、研究者與結局評估者都不知道分組。
- 理由:受試者服用外觀相同的膠囊,論文明言受試者不知分組。利胃膠囊含大黃,理論上可能因排便變化讓部分受試者猜到組別,但論文未報告此類不良反應,故判為可能否。
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:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:ensuring that the participants, investigators, and outcome assessors remained blinded to the treatment allocation確保受試者、研究者與結局評估者都不知道分組。
- 理由:研究者(照顧與給藥者)同樣不知分組,試驗藥與安慰劑外觀一致;因未報告盲性是否成功,判為可能否。
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:不需評估(NA)
- 原因:條件題:依 2.1/2.2 的答案,本題依 RoB 2 官方路由不需評估(NA)。
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:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:Ultimately, 189 participants completed the entire study and were included in the Per Protocol Set (PPS), with 95 cases in the LWC group, 45 in the SJWT group, and 49 in the placebo group.最終 189 位受試者完成整個研究並納入符合計畫書分析集(PPS),利胃膠囊組 95 例、三九胃泰組 45 例、安慰劑組 49 例。
- 理由:主要結局(表7,N=95/45/49)是以符合計畫書分析集(PPS,完成者)分析,論文雖定義了全分析集(FAS,231 人),但療效結果只報 PPS,FAS 只用於安全性(表9)。依圖2流程圖,隨機 240 人中有 9 人拒絕服藥即被排除,各組另有退出、失聯與「療效不佳」(利胃組與安慰劑組各 2 例)被剔除;把因療效不佳而退出者排除屬排除了合格受試者,不符合官方對 ITT/可接受 mITT 的界定,判為可能否。
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:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:A total of 231 participants were randomized into the study (Full Analysis Set, FAS), comprising 116 cases in the LWC group, 58 in the SJWT group, and 57 in the placebo group. ... Ultimately, 189 participants completed the entire study and were included in the Per Protocol Set (PPS), with 95 cases in the LWC group, 45 in the SJWT group, and 49 in the placebo group.共 231 位受試者被隨機分組(全分析集),利胃膠囊組 116、三九胃泰組 58、安慰劑組 57……最終 189 位完成並納入 PPS,三組分別為 95、45、49 例。
- 理由:被排除於分析外者:利胃組 21/116(18%)、安慰劑組 8/57(14%),另有 9 位隨機後拒絕服藥(組別未報)。但組間效果很大(第 4 週治癒率 76.84% vs 22.45%),即使以極端假設(利胃組缺失全算未治癒 73/116≈63%,安慰劑組缺失全算治癒 19/57≈33%)差距仍明顯,排除這些人不太可能大幅改變結論,判為可能否。
Domain 3:缺失結局資料 — 判斷:Some concerns
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:否(No — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:A total of 231 participants were randomized into the study (Full Analysis Set, FAS), comprising 116 cases in the LWC group, 58 in the SJWT group, and 57 in the placebo group. ... Ultimately, 189 participants completed the entire study and were included in the Per Protocol Set (PPS), with 95 cases in the LWC group, 45 in the SJWT group, and 49 in the placebo group.共 231 位受試者被隨機分組(全分析集),利胃膠囊組 116、三九胃泰組 58、安慰劑組 57……最終 189 位完成並納入 PPS,三組分別為 95、45、49 例。
- 理由:若以流程圖的隨機 240 人計,只有 189 人(約 79%)有主要結局資料;以 FAS 計,利胃組 95/116(82%)、安慰劑組 49/57(86%)。安慰劑組治癒事件僅 11 例,缺失 8 例(另 9 位隨機後拒服者組別不明),缺失數與事件數同量級,不能算「幾乎所有人」都有資料。另外討論段寫第 8 週安慰劑組缺失率 53.06%,但 PPS 又說是「完成整個研究」者,PPS 內部是否另有缺失交代不清。判為否。
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:否(No — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:Furthermore, the high incidence of missing data throughout the follow-up period likely influenced the assessment of the treatment’s long-term efficacy.此外,追蹤期間缺失資料比例高,可能影響了長期療效的評估。
- 理由:論文未做任何校正缺失資料偏誤的分析或敏感度分析(例如 FAS 療效分析或最差情境分析),作者自己也承認缺失資料可能影響結果,判為否。
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:是(Yes — 有明確證據支持)
- 原文引述:Ultimately, 189 participants completed the entire study and were included in the Per Protocol Set (PPS), with 95 cases in the LWC group, 45 in the SJWT group, and 49 in the placebo group.最終 189 位受試者完成整個研究並納入 PPS,三組分別為 95、45、49 例。
- 理由:依圖2流程圖,缺失原因包括退出、失聯,以及明確寫出的「療效不佳(lack of efficacy)」(利胃組、安慰劑組各 2 例)。療效不佳本身就是結局狀態的反映,退出與失聯也可能與症狀有無改善有關,所以缺失可能取決於真值,判為是。
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:可能否(Probably no — 綜合判斷後傾向「否」)
- 原文引述:A total of 231 participants were randomized into the study (Full Analysis Set, FAS), comprising 116 cases in the LWC group, 58 in the SJWT group, and 57 in the placebo group. ... Ultimately, 189 participants completed the entire study and were included in the Per Protocol Set (PPS), with 95 cases in the LWC group, 45 in the SJWT group, and 49 in the placebo group.共 231 位受試者被隨機分組,利胃組 116、三九胃泰組 58、安慰劑組 57……最終 189 位完成並納入 PPS,三組分別為 95、45、49 例。
- 理由:兩組缺失比例相近(利胃組 18%、安慰劑組 14%),明確與結局相關的「療效不佳」退出在兩組都只有 2 例,其餘退出與失聯未交代原因,沒有看到兩組缺失原因明顯不同。加上組間效果很大,現有證據不足以說缺失「很可能」取決於真值,判為可能否;但因缺失比例不低且原因交代不完整,仍有疑慮。
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 primary endpoint of the study was the curative rate of epigastric pain/bloating, defined as a reduction in the epigastric pain score to zero. In cases where participants did not experience epigastric pain, the epigastric bloating score was used for outcome evaluation.本研究主要結局為上腹痛/腹脹的治癒率,定義為上腹痛分數降到 0;受試者若無上腹痛,則以上腹脹分數評估。
- 理由:以預先定義的症狀分級(0/3/6/9 分)判斷症狀是否完全消失,是評估胃炎症狀的合理方法,測量方式本身並無不當,判為否。
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:Participant evaluations were scheduled at the following time points: prior to treatment (baseline, 0 week) and at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks post-treatment. At each visit, the following procedures were conducted: collection of demographic data, assessment of symptoms, and physical examination.受試者在治療前(第 0 週)及第 1、2、4、8、16 週接受評估,每次訪視都收集人口學資料、評估症狀並做理學檢查。
- 理由:兩組使用相同的症狀量表、相同的訪視時間點與程序評估,測量方式在組間沒有差異,判為否。
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:ensuring that the participants, investigators, and outcome assessors remained blinded to the treatment allocation確保受試者、研究者與結局評估者都不知道分組。
- 理由:上腹痛/腹脹屬病人自述症狀,結局評估者實質上是受試者本人(加上評分的研究者)。論文明言受試者、研究者與結局評估者都盲,且三種膠囊外觀相同;雖然含大黃的利胃膠囊理論上可能因排便變化洩漏組別,但未見報告,判為可能否。
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:Some concerns
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:資訊不足(No information — 原文未提供足以判斷的資訊)
- 原文引述:Trial registration: ChiCTR2100052010, assigned by the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, registration date 13/10/2021.試驗註冊:ChiCTR2100052010,由中國臨床試驗註冊中心核發,註冊日期 2021/10/13。
- 理由:受試者納入期為 2012 年 10 月至 2015 年 3 月,試驗註冊日期卻是 2021 年 10 月,屬收案結束多年後的回溯註冊;論文未提供事前定案的計畫書或統計分析計畫,無法確認分析是否在解盲前定案,判為資訊不足。
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 primary endpoint of the study was the curative rate of epigastric pain/bloating, defined as a reduction in the epigastric pain score to zero. ... Curative rates of epigastric pain/bloating in each group at different time points.本研究主要結局為上腹痛/腹脹治癒率,定義為上腹痛分數降到 0……各組在不同時間點的上腹痛/腹脹治癒率。
- 理由:主要結局的定義在方法段寫明(無上腹痛者改用腹脹分數也是事前寫明的規則),且第 1、2、4、8、16 週全部時間點的結果都有報告(表7),包括不顯著的第 8、16 週,沒有看出從多種量測或時間點中挑選的跡象,判為可能否。
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:Chi-square analysis or the Fisher exact probability test will be used to compare the efficacy rates and adverse events across groups.各組有效率與不良事件的比較將使用卡方檢定或 Fisher 精確機率檢定。
- 理由:有效率的統計方法在方法段已寫明(卡方檢定),結果依此呈現。論文雖只報 PPS 療效、未報 FAS 療效,但依 RoB 2 指引,符合計畫書分析對指派效果而言不屬於合格分析,其問題已在 Domain 2(2.6)扣分;就合格分析而言未見從多種分析中挑選的證據,判為可能否。