Survival Analysis of Dialysis Data: Comparison of a Parametric and three Non-parametric Techniques

Abstract

Survival data was obtained from a regional dialysis clinic. The data was divided into two groups, diabetic and non-diabetic. This data was compared to see if the survival rates of the two groups differed significantly. They were compared using the life-table, Kaplan-Meier and proportional hazards methods. Also a parametric comparison based on the Weibull distribution, was performed. The data of the diabetic patients was further split into adult-onset and juvenile-onset diabetes. These groups were compared using the three non-parametric methods and were found not to be significantly different. Thus the two types of diabetics could be treated as one group when comparing diabetics and non-diabetics. It was found that the non-diabetics had a significantly higher survival rate than the diabetics. The cofactors that were found to influence survival in an adverse way were the presence of diabetes and the age at initial dialysis.