Table 6 Comparing the ability to recruit to the target the number of participants between cRCTs and iRCTs using results of previous studies that reviewed iRCTs
Review | McDonald et al. | Sully et al. | Walters et al. | This study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Recruitment period | 1994–2002 | 2002–2008 | 2004–2016 | 1997–2021 |
Number of trials in the study | N = 122 iRCTs | N = 73 iRCTs | N = 151 iRCTs | N = 86 cRCTs |
Recruited 100% of original target | 38 of 122 (31%) | 40 of 73 (55%) | 61 of 151 (40%) | 57 of 86 (66%) |
Original target was revised | 42 of 122 (34%) | 14 of 73 (19%) | 52 of 151 (34%) | 21c of 86 (24%) |
Original target revised upward | 6 of 42 (14%) | 5 of 14 (36%) | 11 of 52 (21%) | 12 of 21 (57%) |
Original target revised downward | 36 of 42 (86%) | 9 of 14 (64%) | 41 of 52 (79%) | 9 of 21 (43%) |
Recruited 80% of original target | 67 of 122 (55%) | 57 of 73 (78%) | 95 of 151 (63%) | 71 of 86 (83%) |
Recruited 100% of revised target | 19 of 42 (45%) | 10 of 14 (71%) | 28 of 52 (54%) | 16 of 21 (76%) |
Recruited 80% of revised target | 34 of 42 (80%) | 13 of 14 (93%) | 48 of 52 (92%) | 21 of 21 (100%) |
Extended their recruitment | 65 of 122 (54%) | 33 of 73 (45%) | 49 of 151(32%) | 11 of 86 (13%) |