Flexible regression models with cubic splines
Sylvain Durrleman, Richard Simon
Abstract
We describe the use of cubic splines in regression models to represent the relationship between the response variable and a vector of covariates. This simple method can help prevent the problems that result from inappropriate linearity assumptions. We compare restricted cubic spline regression to non-parametric procedures for characterizing the relationship between age and survival in the Stanford Heart Transplant data. We also provide an illustrative example in cancer therapeutics.
Topics & Concepts
CovariateMultivariate adaptive regression splinesRegressionRegression analysisParametric statisticsSimple (philosophy)Computer scienceStatisticsSpline (mechanical)Nonparametric regressionMathematicsSmoothing splineApplied mathematicsEconometricsSpline interpolationEngineeringPhilosophyStructural engineeringEpistemologyBilinear interpolationStatistical Methods and InferenceOptimal Experimental Design MethodsAdvanced Statistical Methods and Models