Table 1.
Characteristics of women at recruitment, by trial arm. Figures are numbers (percentages) of women
| Biopsy and recall | Immediate large loop excision | |
|---|---|---|
| Total women randomised | 1000 (100) | 983 (100) |
| Cytological status at recruitment: | ||
| Mild dyskaryosis, with previous borderline nuclear abnormalities | 32 (3) | 26 (3) |
| Mild dyskaryosis, no previous borderline nuclear abnormalities | 328 (33) | 318 (32) |
| Borderline nuclear abnormalities, with previous borderline nuclear abnormalities | 147 (15) | 141 (14) |
| Borderline nuclear abnormalities, no previous borderline nuclear abnormalities | 493 (49) | 498 (51) |
| Age (years): | ||
| 20-29 | 433 (43) | 426 (43) |
| 30-39 | 273 (27) | 273 (28) |
| 40-49 | 213 (21) | 203 (21) |
| 50-59 | 81 (8) | 81 (8) |
| Human papillomavirus status*: | ||
| High risk | 397 (40) | 385 (39) |
| Not high risk | 522 (52) | 514 (52) |
| Not known† | 81 (8) | 84 (9) |
| Trial centre: | ||
| A | 336 (34) | 326 (33) |
| B | 231 (23) | 229 (23) |
| C | 433 (43) | 428 (44) |
| Deprivation category‡: | ||
| 1 (least deprived) | 130 (13) | 125 (13) |
| 2 | 191 (19) | 175 (18) |
| 3 | 164 (16) | 178 (18) |
| 4 | 261 (26) | 273 (28) |
| 5 (most deprived) | 254 (25) | 232 (24) |
| Ethnic group: | ||
| White | 953 (95) | 936 (95) |
| Other§ | 42 (4) | 38 (4) |
| Not stated | 5 (1) | 9 (1) |
| Education/training after school: | ||
| None | 261 (26) | 257 (26) |
| Through work with formal qualifications | 184 (18) | 182 (19) |
| Qualification other than degree from college/university | 267 (27) | 259 (26) |
| University/college degree | 173 (17) | 203 (21) |
| Current student | 111 (11) | 77 (8) |
| Not stated | 4 (0) | 5 (1) |
| Employment status: | ||
| Full time paid employment | 482 (48) | 507 (52) |
| Part time paid employment | 244 (24) | 217 (22) |
| Student | 111 (11) | 77 (8) |
| Not in paid employment | 160 (16) | 179 (18) |
| Not stated | 3 (0) | 3 (0) |
| Marital status: | ||
| Married/living as married | 547 (55) | 520 (53) |
| Divorced/separated/widowed | 136 (14) | 136 (14) |
| Single | 309 (31) | 316 (32) |
| Not stated | 8 (1) | 11 (1) |
| Ever been pregnant: | ||
| Yes | 685 (69) | 649 (66) |
| No | 309 (31) | 329 (33) |
| Not stated | 6 (1) | 5 (1) |
| Parity: | ||
| 0 | 419 (42) | 436 (44) |
| 1 | 162 (16) | 144 (15) |
| ≥2 | 397 (40) | 386 (39) |
| Not stated | 22 (2) | 17 (2) |
| Current contraception: | ||
| Use of pill or other hormonal contraceptives only | 395 (40) | 328 (33) |
| Use of barrier contraceptive only | 133 (13) | 144 (15) |
| Use of hormonal and barrier contraceptives | 33 (3) | 34 (3) |
| None | 436 (44) | 474 (48) |
| Missing | 3 (0) | 3 (0) |
| Physical activity: | ||
| <1 time/week | 400 (40) | 396 (40) |
| 1-3 times/week | 225 (23) | 228 (23) |
| >3 times/week | 360 (36) | 346 (35) |
| Not stated | 15 (2) | 13 (1) |
| Smoking status: | ||
| Never smoked | 453 (45) | 467 (48) |
| Former smoker | 171 (17) | 160 (16) |
| Current smoker | 367 (37) | 348 (35) |
| Not stated | 9 (1) | 8 (1) |
*Based on polymerase chain reaction analysis with GP5+/6+ consensus primers, followed by enzyme immunoassay for detection of 14 “high risk” human papillomavirus types (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68).
†Includes women whose samples were inadequate for analysis (n=14) and women who did not have human papillomavirus test at recruitment (n=151).
‡Carstairs deprivation measure based on population fifths assigned from address of residence at recruitment.
§Black-Caribbean n=29; Black-African n=4; Black-other n=8; Indian n=8; Pakistani n=10; Bangladeshi n=2; Chinese n=7; other ethnic group n=12.