Intention-to-treat analysis :
Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis is a statistical approach used in clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of a treatment. It involves analyzing the data of all participants in a trial, regardless of whether they received the treatment or not, or whether they completed the trial or not.
One example of ITT analysis is in a randomized controlled trial of a new medication for hypertension. In this trial, participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment group, where they receive the new medication, or the control group, where they receive a placebo. However, not all participants may adhere to their assigned treatment, and some may drop out of the trial before it is completed.
In an ITT analysis, the data of all participants who were initially assigned to the treatment and control groups would be analyzed, even those who did not take their assigned medication or dropped out of the trial. This ensures that the results of the trial are not biased by the behavior of the participants.
Another example of ITT analysis is in a clinical trial of a new therapy for depression. In this trial, participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment group, where they receive the new therapy, or the control group, where they receive a placebo therapy. However, not all participants may complete the full course of therapy, and some may experience side effects that prevent them from continuing.
In an ITT analysis, the data of all participants who were initially assigned to the treatment and control groups would be analyzed, even those who did not complete the full course of therapy or experienced side effects. This ensures that the results of the trial are not biased by the behavior of the participants or the effectiveness of the therapy.
Overall, ITT analysis is an important statistical approach in clinical trials as it ensures that the results of the trial are not biased by the behavior of the participants. It is a valuable tool in evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment, and can provide useful information for decision making in healthcare.