ClinicalTrials Study Detail¶
Retrieves detailed information for a single clinical study from ClinicalTrials.gov using its NCT ID. You can choose the response format (JSON or CSV) and control how any markup fields are returned (markdown or legacy/plain). Optionally, you can request a subset of fields to reduce the payload.
Usage¶
Use this node when you know a study's NCT ID and need its full or filtered details for downstream analysis or display. Typical workflow: supply the NCT ID, select output and markup formats, optionally specify a comma-separated list of fields, then pass the resulting string to parsing, rendering, or storage nodes.
Inputs¶
| Field | Required | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nct_id | True | STRING | The ClinicalTrials.gov NCT identifier of the study to retrieve. | NCT04000165 |
| format | True | STRING | Response format for the study detail. Choose 'json' for a JSON string or 'csv' for a CSV string. | json |
| markupFormat | True | STRING | How markup-type fields (e.g., descriptions) are returned. 'markdown' preserves markdown; 'legacy' returns simplified/plain formatting. | markdown |
| fields | False | STRING | Optional comma-separated list of specific fields to include. Leave empty to return the default/full payload for the selected format. | NCTId,BriefTitle,OverallStatus,Conditions |
Outputs¶
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| results | STRING | The study detail payload as a string in the selected format (JSON or CSV). | {"studies":[{"protocolSection":{"identificationModule":{"nctId":"NCT04000165"}}}]} |
| metadata | STRING | Metadata about the request/response as a string (may include status or request info). | {"status":"ok","source":"clinicaltrials.gov"} |
Important Notes¶
- NCT ID required: You must provide a valid NCT identifier (e.g., NCT########) for the study to be retrieved.
- Format selection: The node returns a string; if 'csv' is selected, the content is CSV-formatted text. If 'json' is selected, the content is a JSON string.
- Markup handling: 'markdown' preserves markdown formatting in applicable fields; 'legacy' returns simplified/plain text for compatibility.
- Field filtering: Providing the 'fields' list can significantly reduce payload size; ensure field names match ClinicalTrials.gov API field names.
- External API dependency: Results depend on ClinicalTrials.gov availability and network connectivity.
Troubleshooting¶
- Empty or error response: Verify the 'nct_id' is correct and currently available on ClinicalTrials.gov. Invalid IDs may return empty results.
- Unexpected formatting: Check 'format' and 'markupFormat' inputs. If you expected JSON but received CSV (or vice versa), adjust 'format'.
- Missing fields in output: Ensure 'fields' are correctly spelled and supported by the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Remove or correct invalid field names.
- Downstream parsing errors: Remember outputs are strings. If a downstream node expects structured data, parse the JSON or CSV first.
- Rate limit or timeout: If requests fail intermittently, retry later and ensure network access to ClinicalTrials.gov.