title: Decomposition of number of life years lost according to causes of death.
abstract: We study the competing risks model and show that the cause j cumulative incidence function integrated from 0 to τ has a natural interpretation as the expected number of life years lost due to cause j before time τ. This is analogous to the τ-restricted mean lifetime, which is the survival function integrated from 0 to τ. It is discussed how the number of years lost may be related to subject-specific explanatory variables in a regression model based on pseudo-observations, and the method is exemplified using data from a bone marrow transplantation study. Finally, inclusion of standard mortality rates is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Ø. Farimagsgade 5, PB2099, DK-1014 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016019:Survival Analysis
keywords: competing risks; life expectancy; pseudo-observations; restricted mean; standard mortality rates; survival analysis