Estimation of a failure time distribution based on imperfect diagnostic tests

• Published in: Biometrika Vol. 90; no. 1; pp. 171 - 182
• Main Authors: Balasubramanian, R., Lagakos, S. W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.03.2003; Biometrika Trust, University College London; Oxford University Press for Biometrika Trust; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Series: Biometrika
• Subjects: Applications; Breastfeeding & lactation; Censored data; Cumulative distribution functions; Diagnostic test; Diagnostic tests; Exact sciences and technology; Health hazards; HIV infections; Infants; Infections; Inference from stochastic processes; time series analysis; Interval censored data; Mathematics; Medical diagnostic tests; Medical sciences; Panel data; Parameter estimation; Polymerase chain reaction; Pregnancy; Probability and statistics; Random variables; Sciences and techniques of general use; Statistical methods; Statistics; Time‐to‐event methods; Vertical disease transmission; Africa; Tanzania; Biometrics; AIDS; Infection; Statistical method; Prevention; Time dependence; Medical science; Diagnostic test; Panel data; Viral disease; Failure time; Clinical trial; Vertical transmission; Interval censored data
• ISSN: 0006-3444; 1464-3510
• DOI: 10.1093/biomet/90.1.171

Sequentially‐administered diagnostic tests used to determine the occurrence of a silent event are sometimes subject to error, leading to false positive and false negative test results. In such cases, standard methods for interval censored data do not give valid estimates of the distribution of the time to the event. We present methods for estimating the distribution of the time to the event that account for multiple types of imperfect diagnostic test, as well as differing periods at risk. We illustrate the methods with simulated data and results from a clinical trial for the prevention of mother‐to‐infant transmission of HIV in Tanzania.