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Escobar-Domingo MJ, Bustos VP, Fanning JE, Foppiani J, Kim E, Hernandez-Alvarez A, Lin SJ, Singhal D, Lee BT. Underreporting and Underrepresentation of Racial and Ethnic Minority Patients in Lymphedema Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review. Lymphology 2023; 56:41-60. [PMID: 38621383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The generalizability of findings from Clinical Trials (CTs) investigating lymphedema treatment modalities requires an accurate representation of the target population. This study aims to evaluate racial and ethnic reporting and representation in lymphedema CTs. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted during May 2023 using multiple databases, following the PRISMA guidelines. All CTs published from 2018 to 2023 were included. A total of 84 articles were included in this review, from which 6,546 participants were included in the analysis. Seventy-four (88.1%) articles addressed secondary lymphedema, of which 60 (81.1%) were related to breast cancer. Only 12 (13%) of CTs reported at some extend race or ethnicity. Of these, five (41.6%) reported race and two (16.6%) reported ethnicity according to FDA guidelines. White race had the highest pooled prevalence (80%; 95% CI 72-86%; I2=90%), followed by Black (7%; 95% CI 2- 15%; I2= 94.3%) and Asian (4%; 95% CI 1-8%; I2= 89.9%). In studies reporting ethnicity, participants were predominantly non-Hispanic (92.1%; 95% CI 90 - 94%). There is an underreporting and underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities among lymphedema CTs, limiting their generalizability. It is imperative to future development of strategies to enhance diversity in the study sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Escobar-Domingo
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - V P Bustos
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J E Fanning
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J Foppiani
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E Kim
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Hernandez-Alvarez
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S J Lin
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D Singhal
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - B T Lee
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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