Estimation of the simultaneous confidence regions for the ratios of quantile residual lifetimes

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn many clinical studies, especially when the associated diseases can be incurable, it is critical to evaluate the effect of treatments on mean residual lifetime or quantile residual lifetime. In this article, for right-censored survival data, we concern the construction of simultaneous confidence regions for the ratios of quantile residual lifetimes between treatment and control groups. We propose two approaches: the first is based on the score-type test of Jeong et al. [Nonparametric inference on median residual life function. Biometrics. 2008;64:157–163], while the second is based on the empirical likelihood ratio test of Zhou and Jeong [Empirical likelihood ratio test for median and mean residual lifetime. Statist. Med. 2011;30:152–159]. The performance of the associated coverage probability and the expected coverage area are investigated via a simulation study. The proposed method is illustrated using a real data set.