Table 1.

Age distribution in trial groups: (a) using the sealed envelope method and (b) using central telephone randomization

	(a) Sealed envelope method							(b) Central telephone randomisation
	Experimental			Control				Experimental			Control
Clinician(s)	n	median	(IQR)	n	median	(IQR)	p	n	median	(IQR)	n	median	(IQR)	p
All	169	59	(40, 69)	158	63	(33, 63)	<0.01	162	59	(48, 69)	165	57	(44, 67)	0.37
1	64	62	(44, 70)	66	61	(44, 72)	0.84	38	57	(42, 66)	37	57	(50, 67)	0.62
2	19	43	(35, 65)	17	52	(43, 65)	0.60	13	60	(48, 71)	12	51	(45, 59)	0.24
3	24	57	(41, 67)	19	72	(53, 76)	<0.01	2	61	(-)	2	70	(-)	(-)
4	13	33	(25, 41)	13	69	(51, 74)	<0.001	14	63	(50, 70)	14	65	(41, 76)	0.99
5	14	47	(37, 65)	14	72	(53, 77)	0.03	12	57	(49, 71)	12	62	(34, 69)	0.91
Others	35	64	(45, 70)	29	59	(47, 71)	0.99	83	59	(48, 69)	88	56	(42, 67)	0.27