Estimating and Interpreting Effects from Nonlinear Exposure-Response Curves in Occupational Cohorts Using Truncated Power Basis Expansions and Penalized Splines

Abstract

Truncated power basis expansions and penalized spline methods are demonstrated for estimating nonlinear exposure-response relationships in the Cox proportional hazards model. R code is provided for fitting models to get point and interval estimates. The method is illustrated using a simulated data set under a known exposure-response relationship and in a data application examining risk of carpal tunnel syndrome in an occupational cohort.