Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of pregnant women allocated to patient controlled remifentanil or epidural analgesia in labour. Figures are numbers (percentage) unless otherwise indicated
| Remifentanil (n=687) | Epidural analgesia (n=671) | |
|---|---|---|
| Median (IQR) gestational age at randomisation (weeks) | 37.8 (35.5-39.2) | 37.1 (35.3-39.0) |
| Mean (SD) maternal age (years) | 31.5 (5.1) | 31.7 (4.8) |
| White ethnic origin | 579 (88)* | 561 (90)† |
| Education ≥higher | 281 (52)‡ | 296 (55)§ |
| Median (IQR) BMI | 23.7 (21.5-26.9)¶ | 23.8 (21.4-27.6)** |
| ASA classification: | ||
| 1 | 491 (72) | 461 (69) |
| 2 | 196 (29) | 210 (31) |
| Parity: | ||
| 0 | 323 (47) | 329 (49) |
| ≥1 | 364 (53) | 342 (51) |
| Multiple pregnancy | 24 (4) | 30 (5) |
IQR=interquartile range; BMI=body mass index; ASA=American Society of Anesthesiologists.
*4.2% (29) missing.
†6.4% (43) missing.
‡21.7% (149) missing.
§20.4% (137) missing.
¶8.9% (61) missing.
**11.0% (74) missing.