Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

[F1ash]

Are you familiar with the acronym LOCF as used in clinical trial results graphical representations?


"Because one can never be fully certain whether data are noninformatively or informatively missing, it is considered good practice not to ignore dropouts. Last observation carried forward (LOCF) is a commonly used way of imputing data with dropouts. LOCF uses the last value observed before dropout, regardless of when it occurred. (1) The FDA has traditionally viewed LOCF as the preferred method of analysis, considering it likely (but not certain) to be conservative and clearly better than using observed cases, where only the data observed are used."

http://www.lexjansen.com/nesug/nesug09/po/PO12.pdf

If 7 people were to drop out of a 32 person trial for instance, would carrying those 7 dropouts "last observed score" forward skew the "averaged" results in a trial where "lack of decline" is viewed as a "positive" result?

How were dropouts handled in the graph your referencing? Does that graph state if it represents Per Protocol or Intent to Treat? Why is that question critical to answer in properly interpreting data graphs?