Abstract:

Objective

To assess the reporting quality of randomized controlled trials （RCTs） on acupuncture for posterior circulation ischemic vertigo （PCIV） using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool，the CONSORT statement，and the STRICTA guidelines.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in CNKI，Wanfang，VIP，SinoMed，PubMed，Embase，and the Cochrane Library for RCTs on acupuncture treatment for PCIV published between January 1，2011，and November 27，2023. Eligible studies were screened，relevant data were extracted，and reporting quality was evaluated according to the three assessment tools.

Results

A total of 162 RCTs were included，with 158 published in Chinese and 4 in English. Based on the Cochrane risk of bias assessment，62.96% of studies had a low risk of bias in sequence generation，while only 9.26% had a low risk in allocation concealment. Blinding was poorly reported，with only 2.47% of studies assessed as low risk for blinding of participants and personnel，and 3.09% for blinding of outcome assessors.Meanwhile，94.44% of studies had a low risk of attrition bias，but all studies had unclear risk for selective reporting. Only 1.23% of studies were assessed as low risk for other biases.According to the CONSORT statement，70.27% of reporting items had an adherence rate below 50%，while only 8.11% had a reporting rate above 95%，and 37.84% had a reporting rate below 5%. Similarly，under the STRICTA guidelines，41.18% of reporting items had an adherence rate below 50%，5.88% had a reporting rate above 95%，and 17.65% had a reporting rate below 5%.

Conclusion

The overall reporting quality of RCTs on acupuncture for PCIV remains suboptimal，which undermines the credibility of the evidence. Future studies should adhere more rigorously to the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool，the CONSORT statement，and the STRICTA guidelines to improve reporting transparency and methodological quality.

Key words: Acupuncture therapy, Vertigo, Reporting quality assessment, CONSORT statement, STRICTA criteria