Table 1 Baseline patient characteristics
From: Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: primary care based pragmatic randomised controlled trial
Characteristic | Acupuncture (n = 116) | Usual care (n = 117) | Overall (n = 233) |
|---|---|---|---|
Age | |||
Mean (SD) | 44.28 (14.31) | 42.68 (14.79) | 43.47 (14.54) |
Median (min to max) | 43.81 (21.33 to 78.29) | 42.00 (19.51 to 74.47) | 42.69 (19.51 to 78.29) |
Gender | |||
Male, n (%) | 21 (18.10) | 24 (20.51) | 45 (19.31) |
Education (full time) | |||
Yes (%) | 5 (4.31) | 4 (3.42) | 9 (3.86) |
Work (full time) | (n = 90) | (n = 81) | (n = 171) |
Yes (%) | 57 (49.14) | 63 (53.85) | 120 (51.50) |
Work (Not full time) | (n = 54) | (n = 51) | (n = 105) |
Work part-time | 31 (26.72) | 19 (16.24) | 50 (21.16) |
Currently looking for work | 1 (0.86) | 4 (3.42) | 5 (2.15) |
Permanently unable to work | 4 (3.45) | 0 (0.00) | 4 (1.72) |
Looking after home/family | 4 (3.45) | 10 (8.55) | 14 (6.01) |
Retired | 11 (9.48) | 16 (13.68) | 27 (11.59) |
Other | 3 (2.59) | 2 (1.71) | 5 (2.15) |
Belief: In general, do you think acupuncture can work? | |||
Yes (%) | 61 (52.59) | 69 (58.97) | 130 (55.79) |
No (%) | 1 (0.86) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (0.43) |
Don’t know (%) | 54 (46.55) | 48 (41.03) | 102 (43.78) |
Expectation: Do you think acupuncture may help your IBS? | |||
Yes (%) | 31 (26.72) | 37 (31.62) | 68 (29.18) |
No (%) | 1 (0.86) | 1 (0.85) | 2 (0.86) |
Don’t know (%) | 84 (72.41) | 79 (67.52) | 163 (69.96) |
Preference 1: Which treatment do you prefer? | |||
Acupuncture (%) | 90 (77.59) | 88 (75.21) | 178 (76.39) |
Standard care (%) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (0.85) | 1 (0.43) |
Don’t mind either (%) | 26 (22.41) | 28 (23.93) | 54 (23.18) |
Preference 2: Did you get your treatment preference? | |||
Got what I preferred (%) | 90 (77.59) | 1 (0.85) | 91 (39.06) |
Did not get what I preferred (%) | 0 (0.00) | 88 (75.21) | 88 (37.77) |
Did not have preference (%) | 26 (22.41) | 28 (23.93) | 54 (23.18) |
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptom Severity Score (IBS SSS): | |||
Mean (SD) | 280.00 (81.34) | 277.17 (71.50) | 278.59 (76.47) |