RESEARCH | Nov 04, 2026
Lost to Follow-Up - Prospective vs. Retrospective Research.
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Mohit Bhandari
FRCSC, PhD
Distinguished University Professor, Chair of Surgery, McMaster University
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How much does patient loss to follow-up compromise the reliability of orthopaedic research? A study of 1028 shoulder surgery patients found that only 49% completed two-year follow-up, with younger age associated with greater attrition. This discussion examines how missing data threaten study validity and highlights practical strategies to improve patient retention, including early collection of multiple contact details and personalized surgeon outreach. It also explores the value of retrospective research while emphasizing prospective, hypothesis-driven studies and randomized trials as the preferred foundation for high-quality clinical evidence.
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