Table 6.
Results for Time-to-Event Outcomes From Propensity-Score–Adjusted Analyses Using Different Combinations of Confounding Adjustment Methods and Data-Sharing Approaches to Compare Non–Tumor Necrosis Factor α Inhibitors With Tumor Necrosis Factor α Inhibitors (Empirical Example 2)a
| Confounding Adjustment Method and Data-Sharing Approach | Effectiveness Outcome (Treatment Switching)b | Safety Outcome (Serious Infections)c | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HR | 95% CI | HR | 95% CI | |
| Stratification | ||||
| Pooled individual-level | 0.59 | 0.41, 0.86 | 0.94 | 0.50, 1.77 |
| Risk-set | 0.59 | 0.41, 0.86 | 0.94 | 0.50, 1.77 |
| Summary-table | 0.59 | 0.39, 0.85 | 0.94 | 0.45, 1.78 |
| Effect-estimate, fixed-effect | 0.64 | 0.44, 0.93 | 1.04 | 0.55, 1.96 |
| Effect-estimate, random-effects | 0.63 | 0.26, 1.50 | 1.04 | 0.55, 1.96 |
| Heterogeneity (Qd) and P value | 4.21 | 0.1215 | 0.83 | 0.6599 |
| Matching | ||||
| Pooled individual-level | 0.55 | 0.37, 0.83 | 1.07 | 0.51, 2.22 |
| Risk-set | 0.55 | 0.37, 0.83 | 1.07 | 0.51, 2.22 |
| Summary-table | 0.55 | 0.35, 0.82 | 1.07 | 0.47, 2.34 |
| Effect-estimate, fixed-effect | 0.57 | 0.38, 0.84 | 1.23 | 0.58, 2.61 |
| Effect-estimate, random-effects | 0.58 | 0.34, 1.02 | 1.23 | 0.58, 2.61 |
| Heterogeneity (Q) and P value | 2.37 | 0.3053 | 0.03 | 0.9701 |
| Inverse probability weighting | ||||
| Pooled individual-level | 0.60 | 0.38, 0.93 | 2.67 | 1.86, 3.84 |
| Risk-set | 0.60 | 0.35, 1.01 | 2.67 | 0.53, 13.52 |
| Effect-estimate, fixed-effect | 0.69 | 0.44, 1.07 | 2.93 | 2.03, 4.22 |
| Effect-estimate, random-effects | 0.79 | 0.26, 2.42 | 2.93 | 2.03, 4.22 |
| Heterogeneity (Q) and P value | 7.61 | 0.0222 | 0.81 | 0.6656 |
| Matching weighting | ||||
| Pooled individual-level | 0.60 | 0.39, 0.94 | 0.85 | 0.38, 1.92 |
| Risk-set | 0.60 | 0.41, 0.88 | 0.85 | 0.45, 1.63 |
| Effect-estimate, fixed-effect | 0.62 | 0.40, 0.96 | 0.89 | 0.39, 2.05 |
| Effect-estimate, random-effects | 0.60 | 0.30, 1.23 | 0.89 | 0.39, 2.05 |
| Heterogeneity (Q) and P value | 2.62 | 0.2689 | 0.37 | 0.8304 |
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; TNFi, tumor necrosis factor α inhibitor.
a There were 407 (5.2%) patients who initiated use of non-TNFi biologicals and 7,419 (94.8%) patients who initiated use of TNFi biologicals.
b The incidence of treatment switching was 7.6% in new users of non-TNFi biologicals and 11.2% in new users of TNFi biologicals.
c The incidence of serious infection was 2.9% in new users of non-TNFi biologicals and 3.1% in new users of TNFi biologicals.
dQ is a measure of heterogeneity among the 3 data-contributing sites. The summary statistic and P value from Cochran’s Q test are shown.