The poor reporting quality of methods and outcomes is relatively recognized in the biomedical field. Its prevalence and implications have been studied in the cardiovascular rehabilitation literature but not so extensively in exercise-based trials. Our main objective was to cross-sectionally estimate the prevalence of both methodological and outcome reporting items in CVR trials with EBI. We also searched for associations (secondary outcomes) between (1) the effect size reported and the direction of the primary outcome, as well as (2) associations with the frequency of Spin. We cross-sectionally screened the sample of eligible trials dated between 2017 and 2021, and then collected the prevalence of methodological and outcome characteristics, independent and blinded manner. Our study shows that there was an insufficient reporting of methods and outcomes. Also, studies reporting effect size measures had a lower chance of Spin. The primary outcome effect size was not reported in 35% of the studies SES. However, more than 2/3 of the sample (69%) had a statement in the discussion or conclusion sections mentioning clinical relevance or meaningful benefit of the statistically significant results. Selective outcome reporting has important implications for translating science into practice, once not so threatens the validity of an intervention effectiveness, but also frustrates the use of its evidence in meta-analyses.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study did not receive any funding

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All data produced are available online indefinitely at https://osf.io/754ht/

https://osf.io/754ht/