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Table 2 Characteristics of included RCTs in terms of total, eligible and recruited population *

From: The external validity of published randomized controlled trials in primary care

Characteristic

Total Trials (%)

Trials That Reported Target Population

Trials That Reported Number of Patients Eligible

Total RCTs

148 (100)

103 (70)

119 (80)

Journal

   

BMJ

58 (39)

44 (39)

50 (42)

British Journal of General Practice

46 (31.0)

31 (30)

36 (30)

Family Practice

24 (16)

17 (15)

19 (16)

Journal of Family Practice

20 (14)

11 (17)

14 (12)

Number of enrolees

   

<100

48 (32)

40 (39)

44 (37)

110–260

51 (34)

31 (30)

37 (31)

260–650

24 (16)

15 (15)

19 (16)

>650

25 (17)

17 (17)

19 (16)

Multicentre

   

Multiple

116 (79)

83 (81)

94 (80)

Single

27 (18)

16 (16)

21 (18)

Unclear

4 (3)

3 (3)

3 (3)

Funding Source

   

Charity

15 (13)

10 (12)

13 (14)

Governing body

5 (4)

3 (4)

3 (3)

Government

66 (57)

55 (65)

60 (63)

Pharmaceutical Industry

15 (12)

8 (9)

10 (10)

Other

14 (13)

9 (11)

10 (10)

Intervention Studied

   

Counselling/Lifestyle

11 (8)

8 (8)

10 (8)

Decision Support aids

7 (5)

6 (6)

7 (6)

Educational

26 (18)

21 (21)

23 (14)

Pharmaceutical therapy

23 (16)

9 (9)

11 (9)

Surgery/procedure

3 (2.0)

3 (3)

3 (3)

Other

76 (52)

55 (54)

64 (54)