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Table 4 Summary of the missing data methods investigated

From: Comparison of techniques for handling missing covariate data within prognostic modelling studies: a simulation study

Method Label

Method Description

Library used within R statistical software

Number of iterations

CC

Complete case analysis: Analyses only cases with complete data for all covariates

 

-

SI

Single imputation performed using PMM

'pmm' function in 'mice'

20

MI-NORM

Multiple imputation (MI) using data augmentation approach [31] with a multivariate normal assumption for all variables

'norm' [41]

100

MI-MIX

MI using data augmentation approach using a general location model

'mix' [42]

100

MI-MIX-no truncating

MI using data augmentation approach using a general location model, but imputed values are not truncated to within plausible range

'mix' [42]

100

MI-MICE

MI using regression switching imputation [9]. Linear model are used for continuous covariates and logistic model for binary covariates and dummy variables for categorical covariates

'mice' [43]

20

MI-MICE-PMM

MI using MICE with PMM

'pmm' function in 'mice' [43]

20

MI-MICE-PMM-no transformation

MI using MICE with PMM without transforming the incomplete covariates

'pmm' function in 'mice' [43]

20

MI-Aregimpute

MI using flexible additive imputation models [20] with PMM

'aregImpute' function in 'Hmisc' [44]

1

  1. Key: PMM = predictive mean matching; MI = multiple imputation