The RobinCar Family: R Tools for Robust Covariate Adjustment in Randomized Clinical Trials

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Bannick, Marlena, Bian, Yuanyuan, Chen, Gregory, Li, Liming, Qian, Yuhan, Bové, Daniel Sabanés, Xi, Dong, Ye, Ting, Yi, Yanyao
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2026
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author Bannick, Marlena
Bian, Yuanyuan
Chen, Gregory
Li, Liming
Qian, Yuhan
Bové, Daniel Sabanés
Xi, Dong
Ye, Ting
Yi, Yanyao
author_facet Bannick, Marlena
Bian, Yuanyuan
Chen, Gregory
Li, Liming
Qian, Yuhan
Bové, Daniel Sabanés
Xi, Dong
Ye, Ting
Yi, Yanyao
contents Purpose: Covariate adjustment is a powerful statistical technique that can increase efficiency in clinical trials. Recent guidance from the U.S. FDA provided recommendations and best practices for using covariate adjustment. However, there has existed a gap between the extensive statistical literature on covariate adjustment and software that is easy to use and abides by these best practices. Methods: We have developed the RobinCar Family, which is comprised of RobinCar and RobinCar2. These two R packages enable covariate-adjusted analyses for continuous, discrete, and time-to-event outcomes that follow best practices. For continuous and discrete outcomes, the functions in the RobinCar Family facilitate traditional forms of covariate adjustment such as ANCOVA as well as more recent approaches like ANHECOVA, G-computation with generalized linear models and machine learning models, and adjustment for a super-covariate (as in PROCOVA(TM)). Functions for time-to-event outcomes implement the covariate-adjusted log-rank test, the stratified covariate-adjusted log-rank test, and the marginal covariate-adjusted hazard ratio. The RobinCar Family is supported by the ASA Biopharmaceutical Section Covariate Adjustment Scientific Working Group. Results: We provide an accessible overview of the covariate-adjusted statistical methods, and describe how they are implemented in RobinCar and RobinCar2. We highlight important usage notes for clinical trial practitioners. Conclusion: We apply RobinCar and RobinCar2 functions by analyzing data from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study 175, demonstrating that they are straightforward and user-friendly.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_14498
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The RobinCar Family: R Tools for Robust Covariate Adjustment in Randomized Clinical Trials
Bannick, Marlena
Bian, Yuanyuan
Chen, Gregory
Li, Liming
Qian, Yuhan
Bové, Daniel Sabanés
Xi, Dong
Ye, Ting
Yi, Yanyao
Methodology
Purpose: Covariate adjustment is a powerful statistical technique that can increase efficiency in clinical trials. Recent guidance from the U.S. FDA provided recommendations and best practices for using covariate adjustment. However, there has existed a gap between the extensive statistical literature on covariate adjustment and software that is easy to use and abides by these best practices. Methods: We have developed the RobinCar Family, which is comprised of RobinCar and RobinCar2. These two R packages enable covariate-adjusted analyses for continuous, discrete, and time-to-event outcomes that follow best practices. For continuous and discrete outcomes, the functions in the RobinCar Family facilitate traditional forms of covariate adjustment such as ANCOVA as well as more recent approaches like ANHECOVA, G-computation with generalized linear models and machine learning models, and adjustment for a super-covariate (as in PROCOVA(TM)). Functions for time-to-event outcomes implement the covariate-adjusted log-rank test, the stratified covariate-adjusted log-rank test, and the marginal covariate-adjusted hazard ratio. The RobinCar Family is supported by the ASA Biopharmaceutical Section Covariate Adjustment Scientific Working Group. Results: We provide an accessible overview of the covariate-adjusted statistical methods, and describe how they are implemented in RobinCar and RobinCar2. We highlight important usage notes for clinical trial practitioners. Conclusion: We apply RobinCar and RobinCar2 functions by analyzing data from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study 175, demonstrating that they are straightforward and user-friendly.
title The RobinCar Family: R Tools for Robust Covariate Adjustment in Randomized Clinical Trials
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.14498