Data analysis
LME
MINOR
This study utilized a crossover design trial; accordingly, for each person, the related-to-each other and longitudinal data were recorded; therefore, a linear mixed-effect (LME) model was used to analyze the data and evaluate the sequence, period, and carry-over effects. Crossover design is a type of longitudinal study, and the LME model has been widely used to analyze the data in longitudinal studies [Patients were entered into the model as a random effect (nested in different sequences) to control within-subject effects. The sequence effect, period effect, carry-over effect (in the form of the interaction between time and group), and treatment effect with adjustment for the baseline values of outcome were examined.This analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 24). The tests were considered two-tailed, and the significance level was set to 0.05. The LME analysis method is robust to the minor violation of the normality assumption. Therefore, this method can be used for the NRS score variable (i.e., an ordinal variable) [