Sample attrition analysis in a prospective cohort study of medical graduates in China

Abstract Background A major challenge of prospective cohort studies is attrition in follow-up surveys. This study investigated attrition in a prospective cohort comprised of medical graduates in China. We described status of attrition, identified participants with higher possibility of attrition, and examined if attrition affect the estimation of the key outcome measures. Methods The cohort study recruited 3,620 new medical graduates from four medical universities in central and western China between 2015 and 2019. Online follow-up surveys were conducted on an annual basis. Follow-up status was defined as complete (meaning that the participant completed all the follow-up surveys) and incomplete, while incomplete follow-up was further divided into ‘always-out’, ‘rejoin’ and ‘other’. Multivariable logistic and linear regressions were used to examine factors predicting attrition and the influence on the outcome measures of career development. Results 2364 (65.3%) participants completed all follow-up surveys. For those with incomplete follow-up, 520 (14.4%) were ‘always-out’, 276 (7.6%) rejoined in the 2020 survey. Willingness to participate in residency training (OR=0.80, 95%CI[0.66 - 0.98]) and willingness to provide sensitive information in the baseline survey predicted a lower rate of attrition (providing scores for university entrance exam OR=0.82, 95%CI[0.69 - 0.97]]; providing contact information (OR=0.46, 95%CI[0.32 - 0.66]); providing household income (OR=0.60, 95%CI[0.43 - 0.84]). Participants with compulsory rural service (OR=1.52, 95%CI[1.05 - 2.19]) and those providing university entrance scores (OR=1.64, 95%CI[1.15-2.33)) were more likely to rejoin in the follow-up survey. These factors associated with follow-up status did not have significant impact on key outcome measures of career development. Conclusions Graduates who were unwilling to participate in residency training or not providing sensitive information should be targeted early in the cohort study to reduce attrition. More information about the study should be provided to those graduates early to facilitate their understanding of the meaning in participation. On the contrary, medical graduates with compulsory rural service and those who provided university entrance scores were more likely to rejoin in the cohort. The research team should invest more effort in contacting those graduates and returned them to the cohort.

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Sample Attrition Analysis in a Prospective Cohort Study of Medical Graduates in China

10.21203/rs.3.rs-622819/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mingyue Li ◽

Ziyue Wang ◽

Baisong Zhang ◽

Tiantian Wei ◽

Dan Hu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Career Development ◽

Residency Training ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Western China ◽

Sensitive Information ◽

Medical Graduates ◽

Rural Service

Abstract Background: A major challenge of prospective cohort studies is attrition in follow-up surveys. This study investigated attrition in a prospective cohort comprised of medical graduates in China. We described patterns of attrition, identified participants with higher possibility of attrition, and examined if attrition affect the estimation of the key outcome measures. Methods: The cohort study recruited 3,620 new medical graduates from four medical universities in central and western China between 2015-2019. Online follow-up surveys were conducted on an annual basis. Follow-up status was defined as complete (meaning that the participant completed all the follow-up surveys) and incomplete, while incomplete follow-up was further divided into ‘always-out’, ‘rejoin’ and ‘other’. Multivariable logistic and linear regressions were used to examine factors predicting attrition and the influence on the outcome measures of career development. Results: 2364 (65.3%) participants completed all follow-up surveys. For those with incomplete data, 520 (14.4%) were ‘always-out’, 276 (7.6%) rejoined in the 2020 survey. Unwillingness to participate in residency training (OR=1.311, 95%CI[1.028-1.672]) and unwillingness to provide sensitive information in the baseline survey predicted a higher rate of attrition (providing scores for university entrance exam (OR=1.313, 95%CI[1.064-1.620]; providing contact information (OR=2.762, 95%CI[1.660 - 4.593]; providing household income (OR=1.679, 95%CI[1.122-2.512]). Participants with compulsory rural service (OR=1.516, 95%CI[1.050-2.190]) and those providing university entrance scores (OR=1.639, 95%CI[1.152-2.334)) were more likely to rejoin the follow-up survey. These factors associated with follow-up status did not have significant impact on key outcome measures of career development. Conclusion: Graduates who were unwilling to participate in residency training or not providing sensitive information were associated with higher attrition and should be targeted early in the cohort study to reduce attrition. On the contrary, medical graduates with compulsory rural service and those who provided university entrance scores were more likely to rejoin in the cohort. The overall attrition is unlikely to affect the estimates of outcome measures.

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End-stage knee osteoarthritis with and without sarcopenia and the effect of knee arthroplasty – a prospective cohort study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-33924/v4 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kevin Ki-Wai Ho ◽

Lawrence Chun-Man Lau ◽

Wai Wang Chau ◽

Queena Poon ◽

Kwong-Yin Chung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Prospective Cohort Study ◽

Knee Arthroplasty ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Functional Improvement ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

End Stage

Abstract Background: Sarcopenia often accompanies osteoarthritis (OA), which is managed by total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the late stage. Recent studies have suggested a higher risk of post-operative complications after TKA in sarcopenic OA subjects, but whether TKA can benefit them similar to non-sarcopenic subjects remains unexplored. This study aimed to examine the dynamic, mutual impact of sarcopenia and TKA in a one-year post-operative period.Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted between 2015 to 2018 at our hospital. Patients with end-stage OA of the knee waiting for TKA were recruited into the study. Primary outcome measures were change in muscle strength, mass and function. Secondary outcome measures were quality of life (QOL) measurements for pain, psychological and physical health.Results: Fifty-eight patients were recruited, of which 79.3% were female and 32.8% already had sarcopenia at baseline. The average age of sarcopenic subjects and non-sarcopenic subjects was comparable (67.89±7.07 vs. 67.92±6.85; p=0.99), but sarcopenic subjects had a lower body mass index (BMI) (25.64±2.64 vs. 28.57±4.04; p=0.01). There was a statistically significant improvement in walking speed (10.24±5.35 vs. 7.69±2.68, p<0.01) and muscle strength in both sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients after TKA. This was accompanied by an improvement trend in muscle mass in all subjects. There was no change in handgrip power before and after TKA and subsequent follow-up (19.31±5.92 vs. 18.98±6.37 vs. 19.36±7.66; p=0.97). QOL measured before, after and at follow-up with WOMAC (total: 42.27±15.98 vs. 20.65±15.24 vs. 16.65±18.13) and SF12v2 (PCS: 33.06±8.55 vs. 38.96±8.01 vs. 40.67±7.93) revealed progressive significant improvement (both comparisons p≤0.01). Further analysis with the IPAQ also found increased engagement of high-intensity activities.Conclusions: This study showed that sarcopenia among patients with end-stage OA of the knee is not uncommon, but both sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic OA patients achieved significant clinical and functional improvement after TKA. Further studies with a larger sample size and different ethnicities could help ascertain a beneficial role of TKA in sarcopenic OA subjects.

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End-stage knee osteoarthritis with and without sarcopenia and the effect of knee arthroplasty – a prospective cohort study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-33924/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kevin Ki-Wai Ho ◽

Lawrence Chun-Man Lau ◽

Wai Wang Chau ◽

Queena Poon ◽

Kwong-Yin Chung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Prospective Cohort Study ◽

Knee Arthroplasty ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Functional Improvement ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

End Stage

Abstract Background:Sarcopenia often accompanies osteoarthritis (OA), which is managed by total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the late stage. Recent studies have suggested a higher risk of post-operative complications after TKA in sarcopenic OA subjects, but whether TKA can benefit them similar to non-sarcopenic subjects remains unexplored. This study aimed to examine the dynamic, mutual impact of sarcopenia and TKA in a one-year post-operative period.Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted between 2015 to 2018 at our hospital. Patients with end-stage OA of the knee waiting for TKA were recruited into the study. Primary outcome measures were change in muscle strength, mass and function. Secondary outcome measures were quality of life (QOL) measurements for pain, psychological and physical health.Results: Fifty-eight patients were recruited, of which 79.3% were female and 32.8% already had sarcopenia at baseline. The average age of sarcopenic subjects and non-sarcopenic subjects was comparable (67.89±7.07 vs. 67.92±6.85; p=0.99), but sarcopenic subjects had a lower body mass index (BMI) (25.64±2.64 vs. 28.57±4.04; p=0.01). There was a statistically significant improvement in walking speed (10.24±5.35 vs. 7.69±2.68, p<0.01) and muscle strength in both sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients after TKA. This was accompanied by an improvement trend in muscle mass in all subjects. There was no change in handgrip power before and after TKA and subsequent follow-up (19.31±5.92 vs. 18.98±6.37 vs. 19.36±7.66; p=0.97). QOL measured before, after and at follow-up with WOMAC (total: 42.27±15.98 vs. 20.65±15.24 vs. 16.65±18.13) and SF12v2 (PCS: 33.06±8.55 vs. 38.96±8.01 vs. 40.67±7.93) revealed progressive significant improvement (both comparisons p≤0.01). Further analysis with the IPAQ also found increased engagement of high-intensity activities.Conclusions: This study showed that sarcopenia among patients with end-stage OA of the knee is not uncommon, but both sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic OA patients achieved significant clinical and functional improvement after TKA. Further studies with an larger sample size and different ethnicities could help ascertain a beneficial role of TKA in sarcopenic OA subjects.

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End-stage knee osteoarthritis with and without sarcopenia and the effect of knee arthroplasty – a prospective cohort study

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-020-01929-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kevin Ki-Wai Ho ◽

Lawrence Chun-Man Lau ◽

Wai-Wang Chau ◽

Queena Poon ◽

Kwong-Yin Chung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Prospective Cohort Study ◽

Knee Arthroplasty ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Link Type ◽

End Stage

Abstract Background Sarcopenia often accompanies osteoarthritis (OA), which is managed by total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the late stage. Recent studies have suggested a higher risk of post-operative complications after TKA in sarcopenic OA subjects, but whether TKA can benefit them similar to non-sarcopenic subjects remains unexplored. This study aimed to examine the dynamic, mutual impact of sarcopenia and TKA in a one-year post-operative period. Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted between 2015 to 2018 at our hospital. Patients with end-stage OA of the knee waiting for TKA were recruited into the study. Primary outcome measures were change in muscle strength, mass and function. Secondary outcome measures were quality of life (QOL) measurements for pain, psychological and physical health. Results Fifty-eight patients were recruited, of which 79.3% were female and 32.8% already had sarcopenia at baseline. The average age of sarcopenic subjects and non-sarcopenic subjects was comparable (67.89 ± 7.07 vs. 67.92 ± 6.85; p = 0.99), but sarcopenic subjects had a lower body mass index (BMI) (25.64 ± 2.64 vs. 28.57 ± 4.04; p = 0.01). There was a statistically significant improvement in walking speed (10.24 ± 5.35 vs. 7.69 ± 2.68, p < 0.01) and muscle strength in both sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients after TKA. This was accompanied by an improvement trend in muscle mass in all subjects. There was no change in handgrip power before and after TKA and subsequent follow-up (19.31 ± 5.92 vs. 18.98 ± 6.37 vs. 19.36 ± 7.66; p = 0.97). QOL measured before, after and at follow-up with WOMAC (total: 42.27 ± 15.98 vs. 20.65 ± 15.24 vs. 16.65 ± 18.13) and SF12v2 (PCS: 33.06 ± 8.55 vs. 38.96 ± 8.01 vs. 40.67 ± 7.93) revealed progressive significant improvement (both comparisons p ≤ 0.01). Further analysis with the IPAQ also found increased engagement of high-intensity activities. Conclusions This study showed that sarcopenia among patients with end-stage OA of the knee is not uncommon, but both sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic OA patients achieved significant clinical and functional improvement after TKA. Further studies with a larger sample size and different ethnicities could help ascertain a beneficial role of TKA in sarcopenic OA subjects. Trial registration Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov, Registration number: NCT03579329. Date of registration: 6 July 2018. Retrospectively registered.

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