Table 1 Summary of simulation variables
Variable | Scenarios | Details |
|---|---|---|
Sample size | 1 | 500 patients, 250 in each treatment arm |
Weibull shape parameter γ | 1 | 0.5, to represent mortality rate decreasing over time |
Weibull scale parameter λ | 1 | 1.33, chosen such that 90% of patients have died after 3 years of follow-up |
Probability of patient having 'good' prognosis | 2 | 30% or 75% |
Difference in survival between 'good' and 'poor' Prognosis groups | 2 | Survival times of 'good' prognosis group multiplied by a factor of either 1.2 or 3 |
Probability of switching treatment dependent on prognosis group | 2 | 10% ('good' prognosis) and 25% ('poor' prognosis) or 50% ('good' prognosis) and 75% ('poor' prognosis) |
Switching time | 1 | Generated from a Uniform distribution |
Initial treatment effect | 2 | Hazard ratio of 0.9 or 0.7 |