title: A pattern-mixture model for the analysis of censored quality-of-life data.
abstract: We propose a pattern-mixture model for describing the joint distribution of incomplete repeated measurements of quality of life (QoL) and right-censored survival times. The model assumes that the survival times follow a multinomial distribution and that the quality of life outcome follows a multivariate normal distribution conditional on the survival time. We estimate the model using a Bayesian approach by importance sampling. We then use simulated parameters to create multiple imputations of the censored QoL outcomes, which can then be used to calculate individual values of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). We apply the method to data from the Randomized Evaluation of Mechanical Assistance in the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure (REMATCH) clinical trial.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biostatistics, Sanofi-Aventis, 200 Crossings Blvd., P.O. Box 6890, Bridgewater, NJ 08807, USA. huiling.li@sanofi-aventis.com
authors.forename: Huiling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Heitjan
mesh_terms: D001499:Bayes Theorem; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*