Kaimen Rigor reviewed

Rigor-Reviewed Manuscript

Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial.

Name: Kaimen Rigor review — Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial.
Item: Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial.
Rating: 96
Author: Alpha1

Ochomo EO, Gimnig JE, Awori Q, Abong'o B, Oria P, Ashitiba NK, Polo B, Moshi V, Otanga H, Adung'o F, Ouma EA, Outa S, Ramaita E, Levine R, Odongo W, Harvey SA, Monroe A, Hudson A, Sandberg B, Hendrickson J, Zhao X, Zhou R, Liu F, Achee NL, Grieco JP

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Kaimen Rigor review — 4.25★ (Strong), 0 critical, 2 high issues for “Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial.”

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Alpha1 Editorial

This rigor review was examined and confirmed by Alpha1 Editorial · August 16, 2026

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Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial.

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DOI

10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02253-0

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Issued Aug 16, 2026Engine 7.39.0

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Kaimen Rigor reviewed

Rigor-Reviewed Manuscript

Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial.

Paper source

Read full text (PMC)

Embed this Rigor badge

Links back to this Kaimen Rigor review.

Alpha1 Editorial

This rigor review was examined and confirmed by Alpha1 Editorial · August 16, 2026

Kaimen Rigor review

Kaimen Rigor reviewed

4.25 / 5

Strong — minor issues to address

Interventional Study

Critical

High-priority

How this rating was calculated▸

Started at 5★ — deductions

IntegrityIntegrity concern−0.5★
ReportingData & code availability partially met−0.25★

Model-reported confidence: highReviewer agreement: highEngine: 7.39.0Source: full text

Not verified in this report

The numeric-impossibility checks (GRIM/GRIMMER/DEBIT/SPRITE) did not run: 32 reported means were read, and their group size is not stated where the values are printed. These checks need the count the mean was averaged over, so none was performed.
No data or code availability links were detected to verify.

Findings by category

101ArithmeticNumerical inconsistencies 102OverreachOverstated conclusions 03AuthenticityNone found 104DisclosureReporting gaps 05AvailabilityNone found · partly checked 06Copyedit6 minor suggestions

This Kaimen Rigor review uses Kaimen Rigor reviewers trained on a curated corpus of high-fidelity and retracted papers, with expert supervision and curation. It can still make mistakes; verify each finding against the source before relying on it.

This is a well-conducted cluster-randomized controlled trial with rigorous design, clear reporting, and appropriate ethical approvals. The main weakness is the vague data availability statement, which lacks a concrete repository or access mechanism.

Both reviewers classified the study as interventional; no divergence. The statistics verification covered only 2 tests (limited coverage), and the citation check found no retracted or missing references. The copyedit pass flagged minor issues including a missing figure reference and inconsistent notation.

Numerical inconsistencies

1 finding · worst low

Values that contradict each other or are impossible for the stated sample: recomputed p-values and test statistics, GRIM/GRIMMER checks on summary numbers, percentages against their own counts, totals against their parts, and estimates against their own confidence intervals.

Internal contradictions in the reported numbersAssessed

Recomputed 2 tests: 2 consistent, 0 inconsistent; 2 via agent-written checks.

Overstated conclusions

1 finding · worst low

Conclusions that reach past what the paper's own results support — including a significance claim that no longer holds when the statistic is recomputed, and efficacy resting on an unvalidated surrogate endpoint.

Conclusions only partially backed by the presented evidenceAssessed

6 major claims checked against the paper's own evidence: 1 only partially supported (evidence backs part of the claim; gaps or caveats remain); the rest adequately supported.

Efficacy claim is anchored to an adequate endpoint and a meaningful effect.

Data authenticity concerns

None found

An adversarial read for patterns associated with data that may not be genuine: results that look too clean, implausibly large effects, duplicated data or images, and methods that do not match the results reported.

Checked — nothing surfaced.

Reporting gaps

1 finding · worst medium

Required detail the manuscript never states — study design, biological variables, ethics approval and consent, key resources, statistical reporting, data and code availability, and overall transparency.

Data/code availability incompleteAssessed

Eight Dimensions7 pass · 1 warn

The introduction cites prior evidence on spatial repellents, including trials in Peru, China, and Indonesia, and identifies the gap in evidence for Africa. The rationale linking the premise to the study objectives is explicit. Limitations of prior research (e.g., inconclusive outcomes, lack of African trials) are acknowledged and addressed by the study design.

Sub-criteria

prior work citedADEQUATE

premise rationaleADEQUATE

limitations addressedADEQUATE

Per reviewer (2) — the votes behind the verdict

PASSReviewer 1· 90% conf

The paper establishes a clear scientific premise with prior work cited, a logical rationale, and addresses limitations of prior research.

Evidence

“Evidence of an epidemiological effect of spatial repellents against vector-borne disease is limited to a single trial against dengue fever in Peru (protective effect of 34·1%) and another trial against malaria in China (protective effect of 77% by use of metofluthrin coils alone). A third trial in Indonesia indicated a reduction in malaria infection incidence by use of spatial repellents (protective effect of 27·7%), although not significant.”

Introduction ¶3Find in source

“This trial, part of the Advancing Evidence for the Global Implementation of Spatial Repellents consortium, was designed to show and quantify protective efficacy of spatial repellents in reducing malaria infection incidence in Busia County, Kenya.”

Introduction ¶3Find in source

“To meet this target, the global vector control response acknowledges the need for additional multidisciplinary vector control tools such as spatial repellents.”

Introduction ¶2Find in source

PASSReviewer 2· 90% conf

The paper establishes a clear scientific premise with prior work cited, a logical rationale, and addresses limitations of prior research.

Evidence

Introduction ¶2Find in source

Introduction ¶3Find in source

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraph 3]

“Paraphrase: The study design is a cluster-randomized controlled trial, which is a rigorous design to provide definitive evidence on spatial repellent efficacy.”

Randomization was done by an external statistician using R, with masking of investigators, staff, and participants. A priori power analysis is detailed, specifying effect size, alpha, and power. Inclusion/exclusion criteria are pre-specified. The analysis population (ITT) and missing data handling are defined. The trial is registered and follows CONSORT guidelines.

Sub-criteria

controlsN/A

power analysisADEQUATE

blinding levelsADEQUATE

outlier handlingADEQUATE

randomization unitADEQUATE

inclusion exclusionADEQUATE

randomization methodADEQUATE

replicate distinctionN/A

independent replicationN/A

Per reviewer (2) — the votes behind the verdict

PASSReviewer 1· 95% conf

The trial design is rigorous with clear randomization, masking, power analysis, and pre-specified inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Evidence

“All randomisation was done by an external statistician using the sample function from RStudio 2021.09.0+351.pro6 (or R version 3.6.3). Investigators, staff, and study participants were masked to cluster allocation.”

Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial.

Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial.

Numerical inconsistencies

Overstated conclusions

Data authenticity concerns

Reporting gaps

Broken references and links

Copyediting

Numerical inconsistencies

Overstated conclusions

Data authenticity concerns

Reporting gaps

Broken references and links

Copyediting