What Does LOCF Stand For?

LOCF stands for Last Observation Carried Forward

LOCF, or Last Observation Carried Forward, is a statistical technique commonly used in clinical trials and longitudinal studies to handle missing data. It involves using the most recent available observation of a participant to estimate their subsequent values when data points are missing. This method can help maintain sample size and statistical power, but it may also introduce bias if the underlying assumption that the last observation remains valid over time is violated.