To quantify the incidence of co-enrolment, evaluate variability across hospitals, and explore the influence of co-enrolment on trial findings in the RECOVERY-RS trial.
Key Findings:
62% of participants (789 out of 1,273) were co-enrolled in another study.
Co-enrolment rates varied from 25% to 97% across hospitals.
Co-enrolled participants were more often male, of white ethnicity, and had no co-morbidities.
No significant difference in tracheal intubation (41% vs 36%) or mortality (18% vs 20%) rates between co-enrolled and non-co-enrolled participants.
Interpretation:
High rates of co-enrolment are achievable in critical care trials, and co-enrolment did not materially influence the trial findings.
Limitations:
Variability in co-enrolment rates across hospitals may affect generalizability.
Differences in patient characteristics between co-enrolled and non-co-enrolled participants.
Conclusion:
The RECOVERY-RS trial demonstrated that co-enrolment is feasible and does not significantly impact trial outcomes, suggesting potential for innovative research designs.
