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Table 1 Trial characteristics of the studies included in the final analysis

From: An audit of sample sizes for pilot and feasibility trials being undertaken in the United Kingdom registered in the United Kingdom Clinical Research Network database

 

Description of preliminary study

 

Pilot

 

Feasibility

 

Both

 

Total

n

(%)

n

(%)

n

(%)

n

(%)

Number of arms

Two

39

78.0

25

100.0

4

100.0

68

86.1

Three

10

20.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

10

12.7

Four

1

2.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

1.3

Type of trial

Health technology

34

68.0

23

92.0

3

75.0

60

75.9

Drug

16

32.0

2

8.0

1

25.0

19

24.1

Disease area

Stroke

4

8.0

1

4.0

0

0.0

5

6.3

Mental health

11

22.0

6

24.0

1

25.0

18

22.8

Oncology

4

8.0

4

16.0

0

0.0

8

10.1

Respiratory

3

6.0

1

4.0

0

0.0

4

5.1

Oral & Gastrointestinal

3

6.0

2

8.0

0

0.0

5

6.3

Dementias

3

6.0

1

4.0

0

0.0

4

5.1

Cardiovascular

2

4.0

2

8.0

1

25.0

5

6.3

Primary care

5

10.0

2

8.0

0

0.0

7

8.9

Musculoskeletal

4

8.0

1

4.0

0

0.0

5

6.3

Other

11

22.0

5

20.0

2

50.0

18

22.8

Type of end point

Dichotomous

15

30.0

12

48.0

4

100.0

31

39.2

Continuous

35

70.0

10

40.0

0

0.0

45

57.0

Time-to-event

0

0.0

1

4.0

0

0.0

1

1.3

Other

0

0.0

2

8.0

0

0.0

2

2.5

Funder

Industry

11

22.0

1

4.0

1

25.0

13

16.5

Public

27

54.0

17

68.0

3

75.0

47

59.5

Charity

12

24.0

7

28.0

0

0.0

19

24.1