Trial characteristics | Total (N = 103) | 2004–5 (N = 56) | 2006–7 (N = 47) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n | (%) | n | (%) | n | (%) | |
Trial design: | ||||||
 Parallel | 90 | (87) | 49 | (89) | 41 | (87) |
 Factorial | 3 | (3) | 2 | (4) | 1 | (2) |
 Cross-over | 1 | (1) | 0 | (−) | 1 | (2) |
 Randomized disclosure | 9 | (9) | 5 | (7) | 4 | (9) |
Randomization: | ||||||
 Individual | 97 | (94) | 53 | (96) | 44 | (92) |
 Cluster | 6 | (6) | 2 | (4) | 4 | (8) |
Number of study arms: | ||||||
 2 | 92 | (89) | 50 | (91) | 42 | (88) |
  > 2 | 11 | (11) | 5 | (9) | 6 | (13) |
Diagnostic comparison: | ||||||
 Triage | 17 | (17) | 9 | (16) | 8 | (17) |
 Additional | 28 | (27) | 15 | (27) | 13 | (27) |
 Replacement | 60 | (58) | 32 | (57) | 28 | (58) |
Medical Specialty: | ||||||
 Cardiovascular Medicine | 35 | (34) | 20 | (36) | 15 | (31) |
 Embryology | 2 | (2) | 0 | (−) | 2 | (4) |
 Emergency Medicine | 1 | (1) | 0 | (−) | 1 | (2) |
 Gastroenterology | 14 | (14) | 6 | (11) | 8 | (17) |
 General Medicine | 1 | (1) | 0 | (−) | 1 | (2) |
 Geriatrics | 1 | (1) | 1 | (2) | 0 | (−) |
 Infectious diseases | 1 | (1) | 1 | (2) | 0 | (−) |
 Neurology | 3 | (3) | 1 | (2) | 2 | (4) |
 Obstetrics and Gynecology | 17 | (17) | 6 | (11) | 11 | (23) |
 Oncology | 5 | (5) | 5 | (9) | 0 | (−) |
 Ophthalmology | 2 | (2) | 2 | (4) | 0 | (−) |
 Orthopedics | 10 | (10) | 8 | (15) | 2 | (4) |
 Otolaryngology | 1 | (1) | 1 | (2) | 0 | (−) |
 Psychiatry | 2 | (2) | 0 | (−) | 2 | (4) |
 Respiratory | 3 | (3) | 1 | (2) | 2 | (4) |
 Urology | 2 | (2) | 1 | (2) | 1 | (2) |
 Multiple | 3 | (3) | 3 | (5) | 0 | (−) |