Characteristics and implications of attrition in health-related quality of life studies in palliative care.
In a longitudinal study of 297 palliative care patients, 280 patients were followed from inclusion to death. Characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the participants and those who later dropped out were compared at inclusion, and 3 and 2 months before their death. At inclusion, the dropouts were older (P = 0.001), had reduced Karnofsky performance score (P < 0.001), received m
