Cardio-oncology & otherMeta-analysis
Trends and Predictors of Premature Termination of Cardiovascular Trials
- Systematic Review
- trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (2000-2025)
- multivariable logistic regression
Authors' conclusion
More than 1 in 10 cardiovascular trials terminate early, most often due to poor recruitment, which is frequently under-reported. Improved feasibility assessment and transparent reporting are needed. (Trends and Predictors of Premature Termination of Cardiovascular Trials: A Systematic Review; CRD420251155096).
Study context
- Population
- Adult cardiovascular trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (2000–2025)
- Participants
- 19,191 trials
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Premature termination
Prematurely terminated trials
2,202 (11.5%)
Further pooled results
Independent predictors of termination (multivariable analysis)
| Comparison | OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| small sample size (1-100 participants) · higher odds of termination · Reference categories not stated in the abstract | 3.37 (2.98–3.80) | |
| later-phase trials (phase 2/3 or 3) · higher odds of termination · Reference categories not stated in the abstract | 1.69 (1.41–1.97) | |
| behavioral/lifestyle interventions · protective · Reference categories not stated in the abstract | 0.40 (0.32–0.49) | |
| crossover designs · protective · Reference categories not stated in the abstract | 0.53 (0.42–0.65) | |
| non-U.S. government funding · protective · Reference categories not stated in the abstract | 0.50 (0.31–0.78) | |
| 0.20.5125Odds ratio (log scale) |
Reported reasons for termination and recruitment adequacy
- Low recruitment as reported reason, of terminated trials
- 946/2,202, 42.9%
- Underenrolled trials (computed low recruitment, actual enrollment <80% of target) that did not report recruitment failure
- 625/1,571 (39.9%)
Termination by year
- Termination peaked in 2020
- 155/1,033, 15.0%
Termination by trial characteristic
- Early-phase trials (phases 1/2 or 2), highest
- 371/2,325, 16.0%
- Behavioral/lifestyle interventions, lowest
- 146/2,998, 4.9%
- Female-only trials, lowest
- 23/475, 4.8%
Original publication
Trends and Predictors of Premature Termination of Cardiovascular Trials. JACC Adv. Published 16 March 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.102606
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it