A randomised controlled trial comparing palate surgery at 6 months versus 12 months of age (the TOPS trial): a statistical analysis plan
Elizabeth J. Conroy,
Rachael Cooper,
William Shaw,
Christina Persson,
Elisabeth Willadsen,
Kevin J. Munro,
Paula R. Williamson,
Gunvor Semb,
Tanya Walsh,
Carrol Gamble,
On behalf of the TOPS trial management group
Affiliations
Elizabeth J. Conroy
Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre, University of Liverpool, a member of Liverpool Health Partners, Institute of Child Health, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Rachael Cooper
Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre, University of Liverpool, a member of Liverpool Health Partners, Institute of Child Health, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
William Shaw
School of Medical Sciences, Division of Dentistry, The University of Manchester
Christina Persson
School of Medical Sciences, Division of Dentistry, The University of Manchester
Elisabeth Willadsen
School of Medical Sciences, Division of Dentistry, The University of Manchester
Kevin J. Munro
Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester
Paula R. Williamson
Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre, University of Liverpool, a member of Liverpool Health Partners, Institute of Child Health, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Gunvor Semb
School of Medical Sciences, Division of Dentistry, The University of Manchester
Tanya Walsh
School of Medical Sciences, Division of Dentistry, The University of Manchester
Carrol Gamble
Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre, University of Liverpool, a member of Liverpool Health Partners, Institute of Child Health, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Abstract Background Cleft palate is among the most common birth abnormalities. The success of primary surgery in the early months of life is crucial for successful feeding, hearing, dental development, and facial growth. Over recent decades, age at palatal surgery in infancy has reduced. The Timing Of Primary Surgery for cleft palate (TOPS) trial aims to determine whether, in infants with cleft palate, it is better to perform primary surgery at age 6 or 12 months (corrected for gestational age). Methods/design The TOPS trial is an international, two-arm, parallel group, randomised controlled trial. The primary outcome is insufficient velopharyngeal function at 5 years of age. Secondary outcomes, measured at 12 months, 3 years, and 5 years of age, include measures of speech development, safety of the procedure, hearing level, middle ear function, dentofacial development, and growth. The analysis approaches for primary and secondary outcomes are described here, as are the descriptive statistics which will be reported. The TOPS protocol has been published previously. Discussion This paper provides details of the planned statistical analyses for the TOPS trial and will reduce the risk of outcome reporting bias and data-driven results. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00993551 . Registered on 9 October 2009.
