Imputing missing not-at-random longitudinal marker values in time-to-event analysis: fully conditional specification multiple imputation in joint modeling

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Murad, Havi, Agay, Nirit, Dankner, Rachel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Murad, Havi
Agay, Nirit
Dankner, Rachel
author_facet Murad, Havi
Agay, Nirit
Dankner, Rachel
contents We propose a procedure for imputing missing values of time-dependent covariates in a survival model using fully conditional specification. Specifically, we focus on imputing missing values of a longitudinal marker in joint modeling of the marker and time-to-event data, but the procedure can be easily applied to a time-varying covariate survival model as well. First, missing marker values are imputed via fully conditional specification multiple imputation, and then joint modeling is applied for estimating the association between the marker and the event. This procedure is recommended since in joint modeling marker measurements that are missing not-at-random can lead to bias (e.g. when patients with higher marker values tend to miss visits). Specifically, in cohort studies such a bias can occur since patients for whom all marker measurements during follow-up are missing are excluded from the analysis. Our procedure enables to include these patients by imputing their missing values using a modified version of fully conditional specification multiple imputation. The imputation model includes a special indicator for the subgroup with missing marker values during follow-up, and can be easily implemented in various software: R, SAS, Stata etc. Using simulations we show that the proposed procedure performs better than standard joint modeling in the missing not-at-random scenario with respect to bias, coverage and Type I error rate of the test, and as good as standard joint modeling in the completely missing at random scenario. Finally we apply the procedure on real data on glucose control and cancer in diabetic patients.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2403_19192
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Imputing missing not-at-random longitudinal marker values in time-to-event analysis: fully conditional specification multiple imputation in joint modeling
Murad, Havi
Agay, Nirit
Dankner, Rachel
Methodology
We propose a procedure for imputing missing values of time-dependent covariates in a survival model using fully conditional specification. Specifically, we focus on imputing missing values of a longitudinal marker in joint modeling of the marker and time-to-event data, but the procedure can be easily applied to a time-varying covariate survival model as well. First, missing marker values are imputed via fully conditional specification multiple imputation, and then joint modeling is applied for estimating the association between the marker and the event. This procedure is recommended since in joint modeling marker measurements that are missing not-at-random can lead to bias (e.g. when patients with higher marker values tend to miss visits). Specifically, in cohort studies such a bias can occur since patients for whom all marker measurements during follow-up are missing are excluded from the analysis. Our procedure enables to include these patients by imputing their missing values using a modified version of fully conditional specification multiple imputation. The imputation model includes a special indicator for the subgroup with missing marker values during follow-up, and can be easily implemented in various software: R, SAS, Stata etc. Using simulations we show that the proposed procedure performs better than standard joint modeling in the missing not-at-random scenario with respect to bias, coverage and Type I error rate of the test, and as good as standard joint modeling in the completely missing at random scenario. Finally we apply the procedure on real data on glucose control and cancer in diabetic patients.
title Imputing missing not-at-random longitudinal marker values in time-to-event analysis: fully conditional specification multiple imputation in joint modeling
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.19192