You may come across this in reports of controlled trials of therapies (or of anything else!) The key point is that data from everyone who is entered into the trial is analysed regardless of whether they continue to participate in the intervention(s) after recruitment. It avoids a bias arising, say, if a noxious intervention might cause many of the participants receiving it to opt out and only the most resilient/tolerant to continue in that arm of the study. In that situation if only data from those who complete the intervention is analysed the results might appear to favour the noxious intervention. The logic is 100% sound and wise but it can rather get in the way of paying real attention to when and why people opt out.
Details #
In quality rating systems used to rate the methodological quality of trials, ITT is I think always a key item. I honestly can’t think of any else worth adding!!
Try also #
I am sure there is literature on the history of the shift to ITT analyses in the trials world that might be interesting but I don’t know it! Sorry!!
Chapters #
Not mentioned.
Online resources #
None yet nor likely. Oh boy, this is a stub of an entry!
Dates #
First created 22.ii.24.
