Applied analysis of recurrent events: a practical overview.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to give an overview and comparison of different easily applicable statistical techniques to analyse recurrent event data.


METHODS
These techniques include naive techniques and longitudinal techniques such as Cox regression for recurrent events, generalised estimating equations (GEE), and random coefficient analysis. The different techniques are illustrated with a dataset from a randomised controlled trial regarding the treatment of lateral epicondylitis.


RESULTS
The use of different statistical techniques leads to different results and different conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the different intervention strategies.


CONCLUSIONS
If you are interested in a particular short term or long term result, simple naive techniques are appropriate. However, if the development of a particular outcome is of interest, statistical techniques that consider the recurrent events and additionally corrects for the dependency of the observations are necessary.
Twisk
Jos W R
JW
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and EMGO-institute, Vrije Universiteit medical centre, Vd Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, Netherlands. JWR.Twisk@vumc.nl
Smidt
Nynke
N
de Vente
Wieke
W
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D013223:Statistics as Topic / Q000379:methods; D013716:Tennis Elbow / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones