Using postal randomization to replace telephone randomization had no significant effect on recruitment of patients.
OBJECTIVE
To test the effect of postal randomization on recruitment of patients into a randomized trial in primary care.


METHODS
General practices used a telephone service to randomize patients in our trial. Delays in the start of recruitment at some sites led us to modify the randomization procedure. When new practices took part patients completed and posted baseline materials to the Trial Secretary in York who performed the randomization and informed those concerned of the allocation.


RESULTS
Of the 647 practices who were invited to take part, 130 (45%) of 288 agreed to participate using telephone randomization and 155 (43%) of 359 using the postal method. These practices recruited 553 patients from November 2002 to October 2004 across 11 sites in the United Kingdom. The postal method reduced the number of patients recruited by a factor of 0.86 (95% confidence interval=0.62-1.20), or 14%. The number of general practitioners working in a practice significantly increased patient recruitment by a factor of 1.12 (1.05-1.20), whereas practice distance from hospital significantly decreased recruitment by a factor of 0.98 (0.97-0.99).


CONCLUSIONS
Postal randomization had no significant effect on recruitment of patients into our trial.
Brealey
Stephen D
SD
Department of Health Sciences, York Trials Unit, Seebohm Rowntree Building, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK. sb143@york.ac.uk
Atwell
Christine
C
Bryan
Stirling
S
Coulton
Simon
S
Cox
Helen
H
Cross
Ben
B
Fylan
Fiona
F
Garratt
Andrew
A
Gilbert
Fiona J
FJ
Gillan
Maureen G C
MG
Hendry
Maggie
M
Hood
Kerenza
K
Houston
Helen
H
King
David
D
Morton
Veronica
V
Orchard
Jo
J
Robling
Michael
M
Russell
Ian T
IT
Torgerson
David
D
Wadsworth
Valerie
V
Wilkinson
Clare
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004739:England; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011177:Postal Service; D011320:Primary Health Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013689:Telephone