109 6 outcome measure was conducted to investigate changes over time and the effect of patient characteristics and clinical parameters on MAT outcome.16 Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) was used to select the most appropriate covariance structure to fit the data.17 To account for within-patient correlations, a random patient factor was added, and a random intercept was used to account for different entry levels of patients. The fixed-effect factors tumor site, treatment modality, tumor stage, timing of assessment, sex, and age, as well as 2-way interactions of the factors tumor site, treatment modality, and tumor stage during the assessment period were assessed using the AR(1) method (first-order autoregressive covariance pattern) for parameter estimation. Tumor site consisted of 3 levels: oral cavity, oropharynx, and hypopharynx and larynx. Treatment modality consisted of 4 levels: RT, chemoradiotherapy (CRT), surgery, and a combination of surgery followed by postoperative RT or CRT. Tumor stage consisted of 4 levels (stage 1 to 4), timing of assessment consisted of 5 levels (M0, M3, M6, M12, and M24), sex consisted of 2 levels (male and female), and age was defined as a continuous variable. The model included a stepwise backward selection of factors, in which factors not significant at a p<0.10 level were removed, beginning with the interactions. A hierarchical structure was maintained, meaning that if an interaction was included in the model, the main effects were also represented in the model. Risk factors were reported as estimated unstandardized regression coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and p-values. The coefficients of the significant covariates, together with the value of the intercept of the mixed model analysis, were combined into a formula for the estimated MAT. The intercept is the value of the estimated MAT in which all coefficients remain zero. Addition of the coefficients will lead to an increase or decrease of the estimated MAT. For each time point, the formula was filled with average variable values for significant coefficients, as calculated by a restricted maximum likelihood approach (REML). Model assumptions were verified by plotting residuals versus fitted values. All analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 (Chicago, IL). A p-value below 0.10 was considered statistically significant. A score above the cut-off value of 20.5 was used to create a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, to help facilitate the use of the linear mixed-effects model in identifying factors associated with swallowing problems in patients with HNC.
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