gms | German Medical Science

49. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie (gmds)
19. Jahrestagung der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik (SGMI)
Jahrestagung 2004 des Arbeitskreises Medizinische Informatik (ÖAKMI)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie
Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik (SGMI)

26. bis 30.09.2004, Innsbruck/Tirol

A new approach to modelling interactions between treatment and continuous covariates in clinical trials by using fractional polynomials

Meeting Abstract (gmds2004)

Suche in Medline nach

  • corresponding author presenting/speaker Willi Sauerbrei - University Hospital of Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland
  • Patrick Royston - MRC Clinical Trials Unit, London, Deutschland

Kooperative Versorgung - Vernetzte Forschung - Ubiquitäre Information. 49. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie (gmds), 19. Jahrestagung der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik (SGMI) und Jahrestagung 2004 des Arbeitskreises Medizinische Informatik (ÖAKMI) der Österreichischen Computer Gesellschaft (OCG) und der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Biomedizinische Technik (ÖGBMT). Innsbruck, 26.-30.09.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. Doc04gmds120

Die elektronische Version dieses Artikels ist vollständig und ist verfügbar unter: http://www.egms.de/de/meetings/gmds2004/04gmds120.shtml

Veröffentlicht: 14. September 2004

© 2004 Sauerbrei et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

We will illustrate a new procedure for modelling interaction between a continuous covariate Z and a categoric covariate T in a regression model, recently proposed by Royston & Sauerbrei [1]. Here T represents the two treatment arms in a parallel-group clinical trial and Z is a prognostic factor which may influence response to treatment (known as a predictive factor). Generalisation to more than two treatments is straightforward. The usual approach to analysis is to categorise Z into groups according to cutpoint(s) and to analyse the interaction in a model with main effects and multiplicative terms. The cutpoint approach raises several well-known and difficult issues for the analyst. Extending the multivariable fractional polynomial approach [2], which combines variable selection with determination of functional relationships for continuous predictors, we will investigate treatment-covariate interactions. Other prognostic variables can also be incorporated by first constructing a multivariable adjustment model which may contain binary covariates and FP transformations of continuous covariates other than Z. The main step involves FP modelling of Z within the subgroups and a test of equality of regression coefficients. If preferred, this can be done within the adjustment model. By varying the algorithm slightly we can also deal with the conceptually different cases of a predefined hypothesis of interaction or searching for interactions. We demonstrate the ability of the approach to detect and display treatment/covariate interactions in two examples from randomised controlled trials in cancer [1], [3].


References

1.
Royston P, Sauerbrei W. A new approach to modelling interactions between treatment and continuous covariates in clinical trials by using fractional polynomials. Stat Med, to appear.
2.
Sauerbrei W, Royston P. Building multivariable prognostic and diagnostic models: transformation of the predictors by using fractional polynomials. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society (Series A) 1999; 165: 71-94.
3.
Royston P, Sauerbrei W, Ritchie A. Is treatment with interferon-a effective in all patients with metastatic renal carcinoma? A new approach to the investigation of interactions. BJC, to appear.