by Lotola Mougeni F, Bofill Roig M, Hübner MP, Klarmann-Schulz U, Lenz B, Specht S, Posch M, Zehetmayer S. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2026, 20(2): e0013992. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0013992
Summary: Filarial diseases such as onchocerciasis, loiasis, and mansonellosis affect millions of people. However, conducting and analyzing trials of potential treatments can be difficult because patient numbers are often small and the measurements used to evaluate treatment success can vary widely. The authors of this study systematically reviewed randomized clinical trials from the past 25 years, examining the design, analysis of the results, and statistical methods applied. Although many were well planned, there was substantial variation including in primary outcome measures, duration of follow-up, and data analysis methods. In several trials, essential details were insufficiently reported, limiting comparisons across studies. Clearer, more consistent reporting and the use of advanced statistical methods would make such trials more reliable and easier to interpret.
