Table 5

Association between recruitment rate (number of participants/centre/month) and trial characteristics

Characteristic (n=365)nMedianIQRP value
SettingHospital2120.900.4–2.290.009*†
General practice510.710.32–1.18
Mixed561.010.47–2.64
Community292.440.62–6.41
Other171.890.76–11.7
Arms22781.100.41–2.760.935‡
3550.850.45–2.1
4221.040.57–1.91
>4100.850.42–8.85
Control typePlacebo850.840.38–1.930.145§
Active2801.030.43–3.22
Original target recruitment≤200411.180.47–2.650.008‡
201–400930.780.36–2.01
401–600840.840.43–1.96
601–800401.130.46–2.88
>8001051.490.55–4.72
Final target recruitment≤200450.890.27–2.55<0.001‡
201–4001030.760.34–1.96
401–600830.860.44–2.26
601–800411.170.57–4.23
>800931.660.58–5.17
Total recruitment≤200630.500.17–1.6<0.001‡
201–400900.780.37–2.07
401–600811.150.49–2.41
601–800391.030.57–3.85
>800921.960.68–6.23
Timing of final follow-up≤1 month191.290.42–2.260.054‡
1< months ≤6821.140.38–4.14
6< months ≤181700.980.46–2.33
>18 months850.710.36–2.02
  • *The category ‘other’ was not included in Kruskal-Wallis test.

  • †P values are reported from a Kruskal-Wallis test.

  • ‡P values are reported from a Jonckheere-Terpstra test.

  • §P values are reported from a Mann-Whitney U test.