Participant Retention in a Prospective Multicenter Cohort of Participants With Pancreatitis and Factors Associated With Attrition.

Summary: When scientists study a disease over a long time, it is very important that patients stay in the study. If people leave, the results might be wrong. This study looked at over 1,200 adults with a painful stomach organ problem called pancreatitis. The researchers wanted to know who stayed in the study and who left. They found that checking medical records helped them keep track of patients much better. For one type of pancreatitis, older people were more likely to stay. For another type, people who felt healthier stayed longer. This tells doctors they need to work harder to keep younger and sicker patients in their studies so the research is accurate.