A randomized trial alerting authors, with or without coauthors or editors, that research they cited in systematic reviews and guidelines has been retracted

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow chart for the results of the search.

Table 1. Assessment of impact on citing publications.

	Authors			Editors
	Contact author n = 40	Up to 3 authors n = 42	Only 1 author* n = 6	Editor contacted n = 44	Editor not contacted n = 44	All n = 88
Findings likely to change n(%)
Likely	24 (60)	19 (45)	2 (33)	24 (55)	21 (48)	45 (51)
Unlikely	11 (28)	16 (38)	4 (67)	16 (36)	15 (34)	31 (35)
Uncertain	5 (12)	7 (17)	0 (0)	4 (9)	8 (18)	12 (14)
Effect size if findings change n(%)
Substantial	22 (92)	16 (84)	1 (50)	21 (88)	18 (86)	39 (87)
Moderate	1 (4)	3 (16)	1 (50)	2 (8)	3 (14)	5 (11)
Minor	1 (4)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (4)	0 (0)	1 (2)
If findings change is reanalysis needed n(%)
Yes	11 (46)	8 (42)	1 (50)	11 (46)	9 (43)	20 (44)
Analysis not done	13 (54)	11 (58)	1 (50)	13 (54)	12 (57)	25 (56)

* Six publications had only one author and were not, therefore, eligible to be randomized to copying in other authors.

Table 2. Outcomes from e-mails.

	Authors			Editors
	Contact author n = 40	Up to 3 authors n = 42	Only 1 author* n = 6	Editor contacted n = 44	Editor not contacted n = 44	All n = 88
Any reply received n(%)
Yes	16 (40)	26 (62)	2 (33)	23 (52)	21 (48)	44 (50)
No	23 (57)	15 (36)	4 (67)	20 (45)	22 (50)	42 (48)
No e-mail sent	1 (2)	1 (2)	0 (0)	1 (2)	1 (2)	2 (2)
Time to first reply received
Mean (SD) days	17 (22)	14 (20)	16 (22)	11 (15)	20 (24)	15 (20)
Median (range) days	5.5 (0–63)	1 (0–64)	16.5 (1–32)	1 (0–39)	7 (0–64)	1.5 (0–64)
Time to reply by first author
Number of replies received	12	17	2	16	15	31
Mean (SD) days	21 (24)	9 (15)	16 (22)	11 (15)	18 (22)	15 (19)
Median (range) days	19 (0–63)	1 (0–39)	16.5 (1–32)	1.5 (0–39)	7 (0–63)	2 (0–63)
Outcomes n(%)
No reply	22 (56)	15 (37)	3 (50)	19 (44)	21 (49)	40 (47)
No action planned	4 (10)	10 (24)	0 (0)	5 (12)	9 (21)	14 (16)
Unclear action planned	7 (18)	13 (32)	1 (17)	11 (26)	10 (23)	21 (24)
Action planned
Notice planned	0 (0)	2 (5)	0 (0)	2 (5)	0 (0)	2 (2)
Notice published	2 (5)	0 (0)	1 (17)	2 (5)	1 (2)	3 (3)
Letter published	3 (8)	1 (2)	1 (17)	3 (7)	2 (5)	5 (6)
Retraction	1 (3)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (2)	0 (0)	1 (1)

* Six publications had only one author and were not, therefore, eligible to be randomized to copying in other authors.

Data availability statement

Study data are either available in the public domain or can be obtained from the lead author upon reasonable request.