2026/07/02 by Robin Christensen, Aleksi Reito, Tobias Haugegaard +1 · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Decision Sciences · #Academic Writing and Publishing #Meta-analysis and systematic reviews #scientometrics and bibliometrics research
paper · doi:10.2340/17453674.2026.46365
openalex publication_date 2026/07/02 · openalex created_date 2026/07/03 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Baseline characteristics describe the pre-exposure or pre-intervention properties of a study sample and are intended to inform interpretation and the assessment of comparability, rather than to support inferential comparisons beyond what was observed. Baseline variables should be pre-specified and justified in the study protocol, guided by clinical relevance, established reporting standards and frameworks, and presented in a dedicated table following the study flow diagram. Continuous variables should be summarized as means with standard deviations or, when skewed, medians with interquartile ranges; categorical variables as counts with proportions, reported separately by comparison group with absolute numbers and indication of missingness. In randomized trials, significance testing of baseline differences is not recommended, as any observed differences arise by chance. In cohort studies, baseline comparisons should be interpreted descriptively as evaluations of group comparability and the potential for confounding; standardized differences are preferred for quantifying imbalance. By complementing existing reporting standards and addressing common deficiencies, this guidance supports consistent, reproducible reporting of baseline variables and clearer communication of study populations.