An Update on Level of Evidence Trends in Facial Plastic Surgery Research

Background: Knowledge of the quality of evidence in facial plastic surgery research is essential for the implementation of evidence-based practices. The purpose of this study is to provide an update over the past decade as to whether the level of evidence in leading journals featuring topics in facial plastic surgery has changed in comparison with prior reports. Materials and Methods: This study is a systematic review, designed to evaluate the level of evidence observed in the facial plastic surgery literature over time. Five journals were queried using facial plastic surgery keywords for four selected years for a 10-year period. After screening, articles were assessed for the presence of various methodological traits and were evaluated for overall level of evidence. These variables were compared across the years studied to evaluate trends in level of evidence. Results: A total of 826 articles were included for final review. For all selected years, level IV or level V evidence was the most prevalent level of evidence. Over time, significantly less level IV (p = 0.009) and significantly more level II (p = 0.007) evidence was published. The proportion of studies reporting confidence intervals (p < 0.001) and p-values (p = 0.02) were significantly greater in later years. Conclusions: The level of evidence of facial plastic surgery literature has increased over time, as demonstrated by an increased proportion of level II evidence, decreased proportion of level IV evidence, and increased use of p-values and confidence intervals. The absolute number of randomized controlled trials continues to remain low.