Standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of cupping (STRICTOC): extending the CONSORT statement

Xuan Zhang; Ran Tian; Wai Ching Lam; Yuting Duan; Fan Liu; Chen Zhao; Taixiang Wu; Hongcai Shang; Xudong Tang; Aiping Lyu; Zhaoxiang Bian

doi:10.1186/s13020-020-0293-2

Standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of cupping (STRICTOC): extending the CONSORT statement

Chin Med. 2020 Jan 31:15:10. doi: 10.1186/s13020-020-0293-2. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Xuan Zhang¹, Ran Tian¹, Wai Ching Lam¹, Yuting Duan¹, Fan Liu^{1

2}, Chen Zhao², Taixiang Wu³, Hongcai Shang⁴, Xudong Tang⁵, Aiping Lyu¹, Zhaoxiang Bian¹

Affiliations

¹ 1Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Hong Kong), Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Clinical Study Centre, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
² 2Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
³ 3Chinese Cochrane Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China Trial Registration Center, Chengdu, Sichuan China.
⁴ 4Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
⁵ 5Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Background: The standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of cupping (STRICTOC), in the form of a checklist and explanations for users, were designed to improve reporting of cupping trials, particularly the interventions, and thereby facilitating their interpretation and replication.

Methods: A group of clinical experts, methodologists, epidemiologists, and editors has developed this STRICTOC checklist through a comprehensive process, including registration of this guideline, literature review, solicitation of comments, consensus meeting, revision, and finalization.

Results: The STRICTOC checklist includes 6 items and 16 sub-items, namely cupping rationale, details of cupping, treatment regimen, other components of treatment, treatment provider background, and control or comparator interventions. Illustrative examples of each item are also provided.

Conclusions: It is intended that the STRICTOC, in conjunction with both the main Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) Statement and extension for nonpharmacologic treatment, will raise the reporting quality of clinical trials of cupping.Trial registration We have registered this study on the Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) Network: http://www.equator-network.org/library/reporting-guidelines-under-development/reporting-guidelines-under-development-for-clinical-trials/#STRICTOC.

Keywords: CONSORT extension; Cupping; Randomized controlled trial; Reporting guideline.