Factors associated with trial recruitment and retention of people with osteoarthritis: analysis of 215 randomised controlled trials from 2013-2021

Watson, Sara, Wong, Chee Yan Deborah and Smith, Toby (2022) Factors associated with trial recruitment and retention of people with osteoarthritis: analysis of 215 randomised controlled trials from 2013-2021. Physiotherapy Review, 27 (2). pp. 5-19. ISSN 2719-5139

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Abstract

AIMS: To identify recruitment and retention rate in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) recruiting people with hip or knee OA, and to determine factors which affect these. MATERIALS & METHODS: Pubmed search identified RCTs published between 2013-2021, recruited people with hip or knee OA. Regression analyses determined participant and trial factors which may have affected recruitment or retention rates. RESULTS: 215 RCTs were included. Mean recruitment rate was 63.2%. Mean follow-up rate was 88.4%. Trials had higher recruitment rates if publicly-funded (Odd Ratio (OR): 1.47; 95% Confidence Intervals (CI: 1.12, 1.92), did not recruited people with medical comorbidities (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.73), offered a drug intervention as their experimental intervention (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.29, 0.88), recruited from hospitals (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.80) and had shorter follow-up durations (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91, 0.99). Trials had higher retention rates if their experimental group had lower baseline pain scores (OR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.41), control group had higher pain scores (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.99), recruited from fewer sites (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96, 0.99), with shorter follow-up durations (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.92, 0.99). CONCLUSION: Factors which impact on recruitment and retention rates in OA RCTs include: funding source, baseline pain levels, comorbidity status, location and number of recruitment sites and follow-up duration. These factors should be considered when conducting future OA RCTs.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	rct,design efficiency,recruit,follow-up,arthritis,attrition
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Health Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health (former - to 2025) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Public Health
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	20 Jan 2022 15:30
Last Modified:	12 Aug 2025 01:07
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/83085
DOI:	10.5114/phr.2022.117578

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