PocockSimonRandomizer-class: Class "PocockSimonRandomizer"

In SRS: Subject Randomization System

Description

An encapsulation of the minimization randomization detailed by Pocock and Simon (1975)

Objects from the Class

Objects can be created by calls of the form new("PocockSimonRandomizer", expt, seed, stateTable, tr.ratios, d.func, g.func, p.func). Arguments include a ClinicalExperiment object, a random number seed, (optionally) a state table of marginal counts if the randomization is to begin at a particular point in time, the ratio of treatment counts, a function to use for computing imbalance for each treatment, a function to compute the overall imbalance, and a function that provides the probability allocation.

Slots

expt:

Object of class "ClinicalExperiment" Defines the clinical experiment context for this randomizer

seed:

Object of class "integer" An integer used for seeding the random number generator for reproducibility

stateTable:

Object of class "matrix" A matrix of counts indicating the marginal distribution of each factor level per treatment; see example below

tr.assignments:

Object of class "data.frame" The treatment assignments so far

tr.ratios:

Object of class "integer" The ratio of treatment counts, example 2:1 in a two treatment experiment

d.func:

Object of class "function" A function that computes the imbalance; see example below

g.func:

Object of class "function" A function that computes the overall imbalance to be minimized; see example below

p.func:

Object of class "function" A function that computes the probability vector of treatment assignments; see example below

Methods

computeImbalances

signature(object = "PocockSimonRandomizer", factor.values = "list"): Given a set of factor values associated with a subject, compute imbalances that occur if each of the treatments in turn is assigned to the subject

computeOverallImbalance

signature(object = "PocockSimonRandomizer", imbalances = "matrix"): Given a vector of imbalances resulting from assigning each of the treatments in turn, compute the overall imbalance

initialize

signature(.Object = "PocockSimonRandomizer"): Create an instance of this object

lastRandomization

signature(object = "PocockSimonRandomizer"): Return the details of the last randomization that was done

randomize

signature(object = "PocockSimonRandomizer", subject.id = "character", factor.values = "character"): Given a subject id and a set of factor values, randomize the subject to one of the treatments

stateTable<-

signature(x = "PocockSimonRandomizer"): Set the stateTable slot

tr.assignments<-

signature(x = "PocockSimonRandomizer"): Set the tr.assignments

slot

Author(s)

Balasubramanian Narasimhan

References

This implementation is based directly on the paper Sequential Treatment Assigment with Balancing for Prognostic Factors in the Controlled Clinical Trial, by S.~J.~Pocock and R.~Simon, Biometrics, 31, 103-115

See Also

ClinicalExperiment, ClinicalExperiment class

Examples

showClass("PocockSimonRandomizer")
##
## Create a simple PocockSimonRandomizer class
##
expt <- ClinicalExperiment(number.of.factors = 2,
                           number.of.factor.levels = c(2, 2))
randomizer <- new("PocockSimonRandomizer", expt, as.integer(12345))
randomizer <- randomize(randomizer, "Subject 1", c("1", "2"))
randomizer <- randomize(randomizer, "Subject 2", c("2", "1"))
randomizer

SRS documentation built on May 2, 2019, 5:21 p.m.