Bayesian subcohort selection for longitudinal covariate measurements in follow‐up studies

Abstract

We propose an approach for the planning of longitudinal covariate measurements in follow-up studies where covariates are time-varying. We assume that the entire cohort cannot be selected for longitudinal measurements due to financial limitations, and study how a subset of the cohort should be selected optimally, in order to obtain precise estimates of covariate effects in a survival model. In our approach, the study will be designed sequentially utilizing the data collected in previous measurements of the individuals as prior information. We propose using a Bayesian optimality criterion in the subcohort selections, which is compared with simple random sampling using simulated and real follow-up data. Our work improves the computational approach compared to the previous research on the topic so that designs with several covariates and measurement points can be implemented. As an example we derive the optimal design for studying the effect of body mass index and smoking on all-cause mortality in a Finnish longitudinal study. Our results support the conclusion that the precision of the estimates can be clearly improved by optimal design.