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SAS_User
Calcite | Level 5

I ran proc lfietest to generate KM curves using the following code:

proc lifetest data= dat;

time Survival*censor(1) ;
strata group   /test=(logrank);
run;

 

Since I wanted the hazard ratios for this, I ran the following Proc Phreg code:

proc phreg data=dat;
class group;
model Survival*censor(1) =group ;
run;

 

The HR came out to be very high -a seven digit number (3797239) and not significant - pvalue=0.99. Can someone help me understand this?

 

Thanks so much!

9 REPLIES 9
Reeza
Super User

Can you post a PROC means on your survival time BY group and by censor. I suspect the proportionality assumption is violated for one thing, I think the ASSESS statement can be used to check this assumption. 

 

If you could post the results that would be helpful. 

SAS_User
Calcite | Level 5

Thank you so much for helping with this. Any insight you could give with this is highly appreciated since I only have a couple of hours to deliver these HRs

 

Here are the Proc means: (I will be checking assess shortly)

The MEANS Procedure    
Group=No      
Analysis Variable : Survival Time [Days]
N Mean Std Dev Minimum Maximum
107 756.79 355.51 9 1246
Group=Yes      
Analysis Variable : Survival Time [Days]
N Mean Std Dev Minimum Maximum
35 868.8 242.74 250 1141
         
         
The MEANS Procedure    
Censoring variable =No    
Analysis Variable : Survival Time [Days]
N Mean Std Dev Minimum Maximum
16 406.88 158.85 196 701
Censoring variable =Yes    
Analysis Variable : Survival Time [Days]
N Mean Std Dev Minimum Maximum
126 832.33 319.79 9 1246
Reeza
Super User

You only have 16 uncensored events? That's a small rate which is contributing to the issue. Especially when you then break it down into groups as well. 

SAS_User
Calcite | Level 5

Thanks

Attached is also the KM plot as well... 

What would be a good clinical or statistical reason for not reporting the hazard ratio?


KM plot.PNG
Reeza
Super User

It appears the Proportionality assumption required for a Cox regression is violated. This is compounded by the fact that you have very low event rates and really not a lot of observations. Therefore estimates from this data would have a large degree of uncertainty around  them. 

SAS_User
Calcite | Level 5

Thank you so much for the help. I will update later on running assess statement

JacobSimonsen
Barite | Level 11

Such big estimates only occur when the model doesnt converge. I think that there is no uncensored events in one of the two groups. It can even occur if there is uncensored events in both groups, but only if all uncensored events in one group comes when all persons in the other group are no longer in risk.

Try make the proc means again with censoring and group at the same time in the by statement.

I dont think it has to do with the the assumption of the proportionality statement.

SAS_User
Calcite | Level 5

Thanks for your comments. Here are the mean measures:

The MEANS Procedure
Censoring variable=No Group=No
Survival Time [Days]
N Mean Std Dev Minimum Maximum
11 396.73 172.71 196 701
Censoring variable =No Group=Yes
Survival Time [Days]
N Mean Std Dev Minimum Maximum
5 429.2 138.35 250 578
Censoring variable =Yes Group=No
Survival Time [Days]
N Mean Std Dev Minimum Maximum
96 798.04 348.07 9 1246
Censoring variable =Yes Group=Yes
Survival Time [Days]
N Mean Std Dev Minimum Maximum
30 942.07 166.05 294 1141

 

As for the convergence, I don't get any errors/warnings. It says "convergence criteria satisfied"...

JacobSimonsen
Barite | Level 11

It seems strange that the hazardratio should be that extreme. Can you attach the dataset? I would like to take a look on it.

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