Event history graphs for censored survival data.
A compact graphical device for combining survival and time-varying covariate information is proposed. The proposed graph contains the Kaplan-Meier estimator for right-censored data and a simultaneous display of the behaviour of time-dependent covariate(s) and the lifetime for each subject in the sample. The observed levels of time-dependent covariates are possibly subjected to an initial dimension reduction or smoothing step to produce a continuous covariate function. Values of this function are plotted on a horizontal bar for the length of the lifetime of the subject. Covariate information for censored data is also incorporated. The union of the horizontal bars forms the Kaplan-Meier estimator of the survival function. Our graphical method is implemented with a new S-plus function and demonstrated in several applications.
Dubin
J A
JA
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. joel.dubin@yale.edu
Müller
H G
HG
Wang
J L
JL
D000367:Age Factors; D003626:Data Display; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis
D011516:Prothrombin; D011241:Prednisone