derive_locf_records: Derive LOCF (Last Observation Carried Forward) Records

In admiral: ADaM in R Asset Library

Derive LOCF (Last Observation Carried Forward) Records

Description

Adds LOCF records as new observations for each 'by group' when the dataset does not contain observations for missed visits/time points and when analysis value is missing.

Usage

derive_locf_records(
  dataset,
  dataset_ref,
  by_vars,
  id_vars_ref = NULL,
  analysis_var = AVAL,
  imputation = "add",
  order,
  keep_vars = NULL
)

Arguments

dataset	Input dataset The variables specified by the by_vars, analysis_var, order, and keep_vars arguments are expected to be in the dataset.
dataset_ref	Expected observations dataset Data frame with all the combinations of PARAMCD, PARAM, AVISIT, AVISITN, ... which are expected in the dataset is expected.
by_vars	Grouping variables For each group defined by by_vars those observations from dataset_ref are added to the output dataset which do not have a corresponding observation in the input dataset or for which analysis_var is NA for the corresponding observation in the input dataset.
id_vars_ref	Grouping variables in expected observations dataset The variables to group by in dataset_ref when determining which observations should be added to the input dataset.
analysis_var	Analysis variable.
imputation	Select the mode of imputation: add: Keep all original records and add imputed records for missing timepoints and missing analysis_var values from dataset_ref. update: Update records with missing analysis_var and add imputed records for missing timepoints from dataset_ref. update_add: Keep all original records, update records with missing analysis_var and add imputed records for missing timepoints from dataset_ref.
order	Sort order The dataset is sorted by order before carrying the last observation forward (e.g. AVAL) within each by_vars. For handling of NAs in sorting variables see the "Sort Order" section in vignette("generic").
keep_vars	Variables that need carrying the last observation forward Keep variables that need carrying the last observation forward other than analysis_var (e.g., PARAMN, VISITNUM). If by default NULL, only variables specified in by_vars and analysis_var will be populated in the newly created records.

Details

For each group (with respect to the variables specified for the by_vars parameter) those observations from dataset_ref are added to the output dataset

• which do not have a corresponding observation in the input dataset or

• for which analysis_var is NA for the corresponding observation in the input dataset.

  For the new observations, analysis_var is set to the non-missing analysis_var of the previous observation in the input dataset (when sorted by order) and DTYPE is set to "LOCF".

  The imputation argument decides whether to update the existing observation when analysis_var is NA ("update" and "update_add"), or to add a new observation from dataset_ref instead ("add").

Value

The input dataset with the new "LOCF" observations added for each by_vars, based on the value passed to the imputation argument.

Author(s)

G Gayatri

See Also

BDS-Findings Functions for adding Parameters/Records: default_qtc_paramcd(), derive_expected_records(), derive_extreme_event(), derive_extreme_records(), derive_param_bmi(), derive_param_bsa(), derive_param_computed(), derive_param_doseint(), derive_param_exist_flag(), derive_param_exposure(), derive_param_framingham(), derive_param_map(), derive_param_qtc(), derive_param_rr(), derive_param_wbc_abs(), derive_summary_records()

admiral documentation built on May 28, 2026, 9:08 a.m.