Total Column

Format Check

Introduction

In clinical research, it's crucial to ensure that tables summarizing participant data include a comprehensive overview. A critical aspect of this is verifying the presence of a 'Total' column in specific types of tables, such as demography, baseline characteristics, or completion/withdrawal tables. The 'Total' column provides a complete aggregation across all subgroups, allowing for accurate interpretation and comparison. This check ensures that any table meeting predefined criteria includes a clearly labelled 'Total' column, supporting consistency and completeness in the reporting of clinical data.

Purpose

Validates the presence of a ’Total’ column in the specified table types. If the ‘Total’ column is missing, the table is automatically flagged with suspected discrepancy. 

Note: The Total Column check is automatically skipped for demographic tables that contain the term 'COVID-19' (in any format or capitalization) in their title.

Applicability 

Inclusion conditions 

Table of type demography, baseline characteristics, or completion/withdrawal. Identify by one of the following:

• File name containing 'SIDEM' or 'SIDS' - case-insensitive
• The title includes the term 'Baseline Characteristics' - case-insensitive
• Option to add more wording, separator.

Exclusion 

• Listings and figures
• Tables that are not of type demography, baseline characteristics, or completion/withdrawal
• Empty table
• Demographic table contains the term “COVID-19” in the title

Discrepancies

•  “Total” column is missing from applicable table types.

Discrepancy Example

Details:

• Keywords: SIDEM in the file name
• Missing total column