Mean residual life models with time-dependent coefficients under right censoring

The mean residual life provides the remaining life expectancy of a subject who has survived to a certain time-point. When covariates are present, regression models are needed to study the association between the mean residual life function and potential regression covariates. In this paper, we propose a flexible class of semiparametric mean residual life models where some effects may be time-varying and some may be constant over time. In the presence of right censoring, we use the inverse probability of censoring weighting approach and develop inference procedures for estimating the model parameters. In addition, we provide graphical and numerical methods for model checking and tests for examining whether or not the covariate effects vary with time. Asymptotic and finite sample properties of the proposed estimators are established and the approach is applied to real life datasets collected from clinical trials. Copyright 2012, Oxford University Press.