Table 2.

Association of patients baseline treatment preferences and expectations with change in WOMAC pain score.

	Change in WOMAC pain at 6 months		Change in WOMAC pain at 12 months
	Unadjusted mean difference (95% CI)	Adjusteda mean difference (95% CI)	Unadjusted mean difference (95% CI)	Adjusteda mean difference (95% CI)
Preference for treatment received
Yes cf. nob	0.19 (−0.86, 1.25)	0.43 (−0.58, 1.43)	0.23 (−0.95, 1.41)	0.45 (−0.66, 1.56)
Preference for A&E
Strongly prefer/prefer cf. no preferenceb	0.16 (−0.72, 1.04)	0.45 (−0.40, 1.31)	−0.25 (−1.24, 0.73)	−0.006 (−0.95, 0.94)
Strongly not prefer/not prefer cf. no preferenceb	−0.17 (−1.95, 1.61)	−0.97 (−2.66, 0.73)	0.21 (−1.91, 2.32)	−0.65 (−2.66, 1.35)
Preference for acupuncture
Strongly prefer/prefer cf. no preferenceb	0.44 (−0.43, 1.31)	0.16 (−0.69, 1.02)	0.19 (−0.79, 1.17)	−0.19 (−1.14, 0.76)
Strongly not prefer/not prefer cf. no preferenceb	−0.91 (−3.29, 1.47)	−1.18 (−3.45, 1.10)	−1.36 (−4.07, 1.35)	−1.65 (−4.21, 0.90)
Match preferences
Yes cf. nob	0.78 (−0.07, 1.62)	0.52 (−0.40, 1.45)	0.13 (−0.82, 1.08)	−0.30 (−1.33, 0.72)
Treatment expectations
High (8–10) cf. low (1–7) general expectationb	0.90 (0.05, 1.75)	0.46 (−0.37, 1.30)	1.22 (0.28, 2.17)	0.68 (−0.24, 1.59)
High (6–10) cf. low (1–5) expectation for A&Eb	0.72 (−0.14, 1.57)	0.54 (−0.28, 1.36)	0.74 (−0.22, 1.70)	0.49 (−0.43, 1.40)
High (6–10) cf. low (1–5) expectation for acupunctureb	1.20 (0.33, 2.07)	0.70 (−0.17, 1.57)	1.30 (0.31, 2.28)	0.64 (−0.34, 1.62)
Matched treatment expectationsc
Yes cf. nob	1.14 (0.28, 2.01)	0.66 (−0.20, 1.51)	1.34 (0.36, 2.32)	0.71 (−0.25, 1.67)

^aAdjusted for baseline WOMAC pain, age, gender, duration of knee problems, and randomised treatment group.

^bCompared to a change of 0 in the comparison group.

^cUsing cut-offs (at median) to define high/low treatment expectations.