KNOWLEDGEBASE - ARTICLE #492

Understanding the '# of subjects at risk' page of survival analysis

One of the Results subpages tabulates the number of subjects at risk at various times:

Since each number at risk applies to a range of days, and not to a single day, the table is a bit ambiguous. The values tabulated are the number of subjects at risk at the start of that day (which can be different than those at risk at the end of that day). 

Here are values of that table for the control group of the sample data (comparing two groups) that you can choose from Prism's Welcome dialog.

Days elapsed Control
0 8
46 8
64 6
78 5
124 4
130 3
150 2

The experiment starts with 8 subjects receiving standard therapy and 9 receiving experimental therapy. There are still 8 subjects at risk at the beginning of day 46, and this is shown on the table. During day 46, one of the patients receiving standard therapy died and the data for another was censored. So 6 patients remain at risk between day 46 and the beginning of day 64, and this tabulated. On day 64, data on another patient is censored, so 5 patients are at risk until the beginning of day 78. The next death occurs on day 78, so 4 subjects are at risk until the beginning of day 124....

There is no way to automatically add these values to a survival graph. There are three ways to do so manually:

  • Copy the entire table, then paste onto the graph.
  • Copy and paste individual values from that table, positioning them individually.
  • You could use the text tool to enter the values manually, each as a separate text object to be positioned individually.
  • Use Graph...New graph of existing data to make a new graph showing # at risk over time. 

 



Keywords: number at risk, number followed, remaining

Explore the Knowledgebase

Analyze, graph and present your scientific work easily with GraphPad Prism. No coding required.