Conditional GEE for recurrent event gap times
AUTOR(ES)
Clement, David Y.
FONTE
Oxford University Press
RESUMO
This paper deals with the analysis of recurrent event data subject to censored observation. Using a suitable adaptation of generalized estimating equations for longitudinal data, we propose a straightforward methodology for estimating the parameters indexing the conditional means and variances of the process interevent (i.e. gap) times. The proposed methodology permits the use of both time-fixed and time-varying covariates, as well as transformations of the gap times, creating a flexible and useful class of methods for analyzing gap-time data. Censoring is dealt with by imposing a parametric assumption on the censored gap times, and extensive simulation results demonstrate the relative robustness of parameter estimates even when this parametric assumption is incorrect. A suitable large-sample theory is developed. Finally, we use our methods to analyze data from a randomized trial of asthma prevention in young children.
