Using the proportional hazards model to study heart valve replacement data

The proportional hazards model is used to study the effect of various concomitant variables on the time to valve failure, mortality, or other complications, for patients who have had artificial heart valves inserted. The data are from a database, which is still being assembled as more information is acquired, at Killingbeck Hospital. A suite of computer programs, not specifically developed with this application in mind, has been used to carry out the exploratory data analysis, the estimation of parameters and the validation of the model. These three elements of the analysis are all illustrated. The present report is seen as a preliminary study to assess the usefulness of the proportional hazards model in this area. Follow-up work as more data are accumulated is intended.