Patient attrition can have several detrimental effects on study outcomes: - Bias: Attrition can introduce selection bias if the characteristics of those who drop out differ systematically from those who remain. - Statistical Power: Reduced sample size due to attrition can lower the power of the study to detect significant effects. - Generalizability: High attrition rates can limit the external validity of the findings, making it difficult to generalize results to a broader population.
