Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30700250›Full record

Trial reportBMC medical research methodology2019

Does the provision of a DVD-based audio-visual presentation improve recruitment in a clinical trial? A randomised trial of DVD trial invitations.

Amy Rogers, Robert W V Flynn, Isla S Mackenzie, Thomas M MacDonald

Abstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC medical research methodology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Strategies to improve recruitment to randomised trials.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Review
  5. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Amy RogersMedicines Monitoring Unit (MEMO) and Hypertension Research Centre Division of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Medicine, University of Dundee Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, United Kingdom. arogers@dundee.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-5207-7032
Robert W V FlynnMedicines Monitoring Unit (MEMO) and Hypertension Research Centre Division of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Medicine, University of Dundee Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, United Kingdom.
Isla S MackenzieMedicines Monitoring Unit (MEMO) and Hypertension Research Centre Division of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Medicine, University of Dundee Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, United Kingdom.
Thomas M MacDonaldMedicines Monitoring Unit (MEMO) and Hypertension Research Centre Division of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Medicine, University of Dundee Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecruitment to clinical trials can be challenging. Methods that improve the efficiency of trial recruitment are needed to increase successful study completions. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether sending an audio-visual presentation on a digital versatile disc (DVD), along with usual study invitation materials, would improve recruitment to the Febuxostat versus Allopurinol Streamlined Trial (FAST), a clinical trial in patients with established gout.

methodsPotential participants for the FAST study who were identified by searches of GP records in Scottish primary care practices between August 2013 and July 2014 were included in this study. Individuals were randomly allocated to receive either a standard invitation (letter and information leaflet) or a standard invitation and a DVD containing an audio-visual presentation explaining the background and operation of FAST. Data on invitation response rates, screening attendances and randomisations were collected by research nurses.

resultsOne thousand fifty potential participants were invited to take part in FAST during this period. 509 individuals were randomised to receive the DVD presentation and the standard invitation and 541 received a standard invitation only. DVD recipients were less likely to respond to the initial invitation (adjusted OR 0.76, CI 0.58-0.99) and marginally less likely to return a positive response (OR 0.75, CI 0.59-0.96). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in attendance for screening or randomisation. The DVD did not influence the age, gender, or socioeconomic deprivation scores of those responding positively to a letter of invitation.

conclusionsThe inclusion of a DVD presentation with FAST study invitations did not make any practical difference to the rate of positive response to invitation. Further innovation and evaluation will be required to improve recruitment to clinical trials.

trial registrationEU Clinical Trials Register. EudraCT Number: 2011-001883-23 . ISRCTN registry.  ISRCTN72443278 .

Indexed as

Audiovisual AidsPatient SelectionAgedAllopurinolFebuxostatFemaleGoutHumansMaleMiddle AgedOutcome Assessment, Health CarePatient Education as TopicAllopurinolFebuxostatAudiovisual aidsClinical trialsDVDInformed consentRecruitment

Identifiers

PMID30700250
PMCPMC6354366

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.