Spin is present in the majority of articles evaluating robot-assisted groin hernia repair: a systematic review

Background The number of scientific articles published each year is increasing, resulting in greater competition to get work published. Spin is defined as specific reporting strategies used to distort the readers’ interpretation of results so that they are viewed more favorable. However, prevalence of spin in studies comparing robot-assisted groin hernia repair with traditional methods is unknown. Objectives/aim To determine the frequency and extent of spin in studies assessing robot-assisted groin hernia repair. Methods This systematic review was reported according to PRISMA guidelines, and a protocol was registered at PROSPERO before data extraction. Database search included PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central. Results Of 35 included studies, spin was present in 57%. Within these, 95% had spin present in the abstract and 80% in the conclusion of the article. There was no association between study size and spin ( p > 0.05). However, presence of spin in studies positively minded towards robot-assisted hernia repair was higher ( p