查看文章

To evaluate temporal trends in the enrolment of females in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) published in high‐impact journals, and assess RCT characteristics associated with under‐enrolment.

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL for studies published from January 2000 to May 2019 in journals with impact factor ≥10. We included RCTs that recruited adults with HFrEF. We used a 20% threshold below the sex distribution of HFrEF to define under‐enrolment. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess trial characteristics independently associated with under‐enrolment. We included 317 RCTs. Among the 183 097 participants, mean (standard deviation) age was 63.0 (7.0) years and 25.5% were female. Females were under‐enrolled in 71.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 66.6–76.6%] of the RCTs; enrolment …