Methodological issues stratified according to specialty and impact factor of the journals.
| No. of Articles from Each Journal Type | Missing Demographic Data, % | Diseased Control Groups, % | Power Calculation, % | Negative Results, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rheumatology (n = 172) | 20.4 | 49.6 | 4.6 | 16.7 |
| Ophthalmology (n = 64) | 25 | 25 | 0 | 4.4 |
| Dermatology (n = 39) | 23.1 | 28 | 0 | 6.1 |
| Medicine (n = 5) | 20 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Top 5 journals in rheumatology (n = 67)* | 28.4 | 42.9 | 8.8 | 12.3 |
| Lowest 5 journals in rheumatology (n= 66) | 13.6 | 65 | 0 | 19.6 |
↵* Top 5 and lowest 5 refer to journals with the highest and lowest impact factors.