The following diagram for a crossover study does not use the crossing slanted lines sometimes used to represent crossover studies, because the order of the blocks is sufficient to represent the design of the study. Slanted lines are used only to represent the branch point at randomization, when a subject is assigned to a sequence of study product exposures. As in most crossover studies, the arms are distinguished by the order of study product exposures, with the same study product exposure present in each arm. Note that even though all 3 arms of this study end with the same block (i.e., the block for the follow-up element), the diagram does not show the arms converging into one block. Also note that the same block (the "rest" element) occurs twice within each arm. Elements are conceived of as "reusable" and can appear in more than 1 arm, in more than 1 epoch, and more than once in an arm.

Example Study 2, Crossover Trial Study Schema
  Example Trial 2, Study Schema Copy

The next diagram for this crossover study shows the prospective view of the study; it identifies the epoch and arms of the study, and gives each a name. As for most crossover studies, the objectives of the study will be addressed by comparisons between the arms and by within-subject comparisons between study product exposures. Because the design depends on differentiating the periods during which the subject receives the 3 different study product exposures, there are 3 different study product exposure epochs. The fact that the rest periods are identified as separate epochs suggests that these also play an important part in the design of the study; they are probably designed to allow subjects to return to “baseline,” with data collected to show that this occurred. Note that epochs are not considered reusable; each epoch has a different name, even though all the study product exposure epochs are similar and both the rest epochs are similar. As with the first example study, there is a one-to-one relationship between the epochs of the study and the elements in each arm.

Example Study 2, Crossover Study Prospective View
 
example trial 2 prospective view Copy Copy

The next diagram shows the retrospective view of the study.

Example Study 2, Crossover Trial Retrospective View
 
Example Trial 2 Prospective View Copy

The last diagram for this study shows the study from the viewpoint of blinded participants. As in the simple parallel study in Example Study 1, blinded participants see only 1 sequence of elements; during the product exposure epochs they do not know which of the product exposure elements a subject is in.

Example Study 2, Crossover Study Blinded View
 
Trial 2 Blinded View Copy

The following table illustrates the study design matrix for this crossover example study. It corresponds closely to the preceding retrospective diagram.

Trial Design Matrix


ScreenFirst Study Product ExposureFirst RestSecond Study Product ExposureSecond RestThird Study Product ExposureFollow-up
U-A-BScreenUsual Tobacco ProductRestTobacco Product ARestTobacco Product BFollow-up
A-U-BScreenTobacco Product ARestUsual Tobacco ProductRestTobacco Product BFollow-up
B-A-UScreenTobacco Product BRestTobacco Product ARestUsual Tobacco ProductFollow-up

It is straightforward to produce the TA dataset for this crossover study from the diagram showing arms and epochs, or from the design matrix.

ta.xpt

ta.xpt

RowSTUDYIDDOMAINARMCDARMTAETORDETCDELEMENTTABRANCHTATRANSEPOCH
1EX2TAU-A-BUTP-TPA-TPB1SCRNScreenRandomized to UTP -TPA-TPB
SCREENING
2EX2TAU-A-BUTP-TPA-TPB2UTPUsual

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 1
3EX2TAU-A-BUTP-TPA-TPB3RESTRest

WASHOUT 1
4EX2TAU-A-BUTP-TPA-TPB4TPAProd A

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 2
5EX2TAU-A-BUTP-TPA-TPB5RESTRest

WASHOUT 2
6EX2TAU-A-BUTP-TPA-TPB6TPBProd B

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 3
7EX2TAU-A-BUTP-TPA-TPB7FUFollow-up

FOLLOW-UP
8EX2TAA-U-BTPA-UTP-TPB1SCRNScreenRandomized to TPA- UTP- TPB
SCREENING
9EX2TAA-U-BTPA-UTP-TPB2TBAProd A

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 1
10EX2TAA-U-BTPA-UTP-TPB3RESTRest

WASHOUT 1
1EX2TAA-U-BTPA-UTP-TPB4UTPUsual

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 2
12EX2TAA-U-BTPA-UTP-TPB5RESTRest

WASHOUT 2
13EX2TAA-B-UTPA-UTP-TPB6TPBProd B

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 3
14EX2TAA-B-UTPA-UTP-TPB7FUFollow-up

FOLLOW-UP
15EX2TAA-B-UTPA-TPB-Usual1SCRNScreenRandomized to TBA - TPB – Usual
SCREENING
16EX2TAA-B-UTPA-TPB-Usual2TPAProd A

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 1
17EX2TAA-B-UTPA-TPB-Usual3RESTRest

WASHOUT 1
18EX2TAA-B-UTPA-TPB-Usual4TPBProd B

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 2
19EX2TAA-B-UTPA-TPB-Usual5RESTRest

WASHOUT 2
20EX2TAA-B-UTPA-TPB-Usual6UTPUsual

STUDY PRODUCT EXPOSURE 3
21EX2TAA-B-UTPA-TPB-Usual7FUFollow-up

FOLLOW-UP
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