Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters

13 messages 8 people Latest: Dec 05, 2013
Dear all, I have come across an interesting proposal to account for correlation between CL and volume parameters by dividing by bioavailability within the NONMEM control stream: http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php I liked the approach, however I have been wondering how exactly to interpret the resulting parameter values for CL and V. As an illustration, a potential problem might be that we have doses of 10, 25 and 50 mg with a fixed bioavailability of 100% for the 10 mg dose, and bioavailabilities of 80% and 50% for the doses of 25 and 50 mg, respectively. In addition, a between-subject variability on F1 of ~30% would be present. If I now code my CL and V as follows: CL=THETA(1)/F1 V=THETA(2)/F1, to account for the correlation between CL and V, what exactly would be the meaning/interpretation of THETA(1) and THETA(2)? As the THETAs would be the same for all doses, the CL of 50 mg would be twice as high as the one for the 10 mg dose – does that make sense, as we already estimated the reduced relative bioavailability using parameter F1? Any comments would be very much appreciated. Thanks and best Nele Dr. Nele Müller-Plock, CAPM Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Pharmacometrics Experimental Medicine Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Visitor address: Alpenstrasse 3 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 mailto: [email protected] http://www.takeda.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments.
Nele, I am not sure why would you like to divide by F1. Can we just do it explicitly? F1=EXP(ETA(1)) (or F1=function(dose)*EXP(ETA(1)) CL=.. V=.. F1 can be > 1 as it is not absolute but relative (to the other subjects); I assume that this is oral dose, not IV, correct? In your code, be careful not to call it F1 as the nonmem will interpret it as bioavailability parameter, and you should not account for it twice. So it should be either F1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) V=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) or F1=1 (can me implicit and omitted) FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 but not F1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 Leonid -------------------------------------- Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. President, QuantPharm LLC web: www.quantpharm.com e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com tel: (301) 767 5566
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On 11/22/2013 12:14 PM, Mueller-Plock, Nele wrote: > Dear all, > > I have come across an interesting proposal to account for correlation between > CL and volume parameters by dividing by bioavailability within the NONMEM > control stream: > > http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php > > I liked the approach, however I have been wondering how exactly to interpret > the resulting parameter values for CL and V. > > As an illustration, a potential problem might be that we have doses of 10, 25 > and 50 mg with a fixed bioavailability of 100% for the 10 mg dose, and > bioavailabilities of 80% and 50% for the doses of 25 and 50 mg, respectively. > In addition, a between-subject variability on F1 of ~30% would be present. > > If I now code my CL and V as follows: > CL=THETA(1)/F1 > V=THETA(2)/F1, > to account for the correlation between CL and V, what exactly would be the > meaning/interpretation of THETA(1) and THETA(2)? > As the THETAs would be the same for all doses, the CL of 50 mg would be twice > as high as the one for the 10 mg dose – does that make sense, as we already > estimated the reduced relative bioavailability using parameter F1? > > Any comments would be very much appreciated. > Thanks and best > Nele > > Dr. Nele Müller-Plock, CAPM > Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation > Pharmacometrics > Experimental Medicine > > Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > Switzerland > > Visitor address: > Alpenstrasse 3 > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > Switzerland > > Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 > Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 > mailto: [email protected] > http://www.takeda.com > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain > confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended > solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If > you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to use, > copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately notify > the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments. > >
Dear Leonid, Thanks for your answer. Maybe I was not completely clear about the reasons why I tried to account for F1. The reason is that after oral dosing, a correlation between CL and should be present, as these parameters in reality represent CL/F and V/F. One way to account for this would be to estimate the correlation via the $OMEGA BLOCK syntax. As this is sometimes hard to estimate, I looked if any alternative is available, and then found the discussion of this topic in the provided link ( http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php). From your answer, I would conclude that the proposed code should only account for random between-subject variability, i.e. it should only consider the ETA on F1, but not the THETA (which in my example had values of 1, 0.8 and 0.5). Is this correct? So whereas an increase in ETA on F1 without accounting for the correlation would automatically result in positive ETA values for CL and V, even without any inherent variability in true CL and V, with the code F1=1 FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 this would already be taken care of, and the $OMEGA BLOCK could be omitted. Right? Thanks and best Nele ______________________________________________________________ Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics Therapeutic Area Group Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Visitor address: Alpenstrasse 3 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 mailto: [email protected] http://www.takeda.com
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-----Original Message----- From: Leonid Gibiansky [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Freitag, 22. November 2013 19:44 To: Mueller-Plock, Nele; 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Nele, I am not sure why would you like to divide by F1. Can we just do it explicitly? F1=EXP(ETA(1)) (or F1=function(dose)*EXP(ETA(1)) CL=.. V=.. F1 can be > 1 as it is not absolute but relative (to the other subjects); I assume that this is oral dose, not IV, correct? In your code, be careful not to call it F1 as the nonmem will interpret it as bioavailability parameter, and you should not account for it twice. So it should be either F1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) V=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) or F1=1 (can me implicit and omitted) FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 but not F1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 Leonid -------------------------------------- Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. President, QuantPharm LLC web: www.quantpharm.com e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com tel: (301) 767 5566 On 11/22/2013 12:14 PM, Mueller-Plock, Nele wrote: > Dear all, > > I have come across an interesting proposal to account for correlation between > CL and volume parameters by dividing by bioavailability within the NONMEM > control stream: > > http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php > > I liked the approach, however I have been wondering how exactly to interpret > the resulting parameter values for CL and V. > > As an illustration, a potential problem might be that we have doses of 10, 25 > and 50 mg with a fixed bioavailability of 100% for the 10 mg dose, and > bioavailabilities of 80% and 50% for the doses of 25 and 50 mg, respectively. > In addition, a between-subject variability on F1 of ~30% would be present. > > If I now code my CL and V as follows: > CL=THETA(1)/F1 > V=THETA(2)/F1, > to account for the correlation between CL and V, what exactly would be the > meaning/interpretation of THETA(1) and THETA(2)? > As the THETAs would be the same for all doses, the CL of 50 mg would be twice > as high as the one for the 10 mg dose – does that make sense, as we already > estimated the reduced relative bioavailability using parameter F1? > > Any comments would be very much appreciated. > Thanks and best > Nele > > > > Dr. Nele Müller-Plock, CAPM > Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Pharmacometrics > Experimental Medicine > > Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > Switzerland > > Visitor address: > Alpenstrasse 3 > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > Switzerland > > Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 > Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 > mailto: [email protected] > http://www.takeda.com > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain > confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended > solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If > you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to > use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately > notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > -------------------------------------------------------------------- The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments.
Nele, Basically what you have done is traded an off diagonal parameter in a two dimensional Omega matrix for an extra on-diagonal parameter in a three dimensional diagonal Omega matrix. Y0u still have 3 Omega parameters either way. For methods like SAEM and IMP, the two-dimensional formulation is much preferable since you end up in a lower 2-d dimensional eta space which a) is easier to sample, b) is easily mu-modeled (not the case for the 3-d formulation) , and c) SAEM and IMP methods handle full block Omegas very naturally, in fact more naturally than diagonal Omegas. With FOCEI it is not so clear if there would be any difference at all.
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-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mueller-Plock, Nele Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 2:05 AM To: Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Dear Leonid, Thanks for your answer. Maybe I was not completely clear about the reasons why I tried to account for F1. The reason is that after oral dosing, a correlation between CL and should be present, as these parameters in reality represent CL/F and V/F. One way to account for this would be to estimate the correlation via the $OMEGA BLOCK syntax. As this is sometimes hard to estimate, I looked if any alternative is available, and then found the discussion of this topic in the provided link ( http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php). From your answer, I would conclude that the proposed code should only account for random between-subject variability, i.e. it should only consider the ETA on F1, but not the THETA (which in my example had values of 1, 0.8 and 0.5). Is this correct? So whereas an increase in ETA on F1 without accounting for the correlation would automatically result in positive ETA values for CL and V, even without any inherent variability in true CL and V, with the code F1=1 FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 this would already be taken care of, and the $OMEGA BLOCK could be omitted. Right? Thanks and best Nele ______________________________________________________________ Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics Therapeutic Area Group Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Visitor address: Alpenstrasse 3 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 mailto: [email protected] http://www.takeda.com -----Original Message----- From: Leonid Gibiansky [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Freitag, 22. November 2013 19:44 To: Mueller-Plock, Nele; 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Nele, I am not sure why would you like to divide by F1. Can we just do it explicitly? F1=EXP(ETA(1)) (or F1=function(dose)*EXP(ETA(1)) CL=.. V=.. F1 can be > 1 as it is not absolute but relative (to the other subjects); I assume that this is oral dose, not IV, correct? In your code, be careful not to call it F1 as the nonmem will interpret it as bioavailability parameter, and you should not account for it twice. So it should be either F1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) V=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) or F1=1 (can me implicit and omitted) FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 but not F1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 Leonid -------------------------------------- Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. President, QuantPharm LLC web: www.quantpharm.com e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com tel: (301) 767 5566 On 11/22/2013 12:14 PM, Mueller-Plock, Nele wrote: > Dear all, > > I have come across an interesting proposal to account for correlation between > CL and volume parameters by dividing by bioavailability within the NONMEM > control stream: > > http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php > > I liked the approach, however I have been wondering how exactly to interpret > the resulting parameter values for CL and V. > > As an illustration, a potential problem might be that we have doses of 10, 25 > and 50 mg with a fixed bioavailability of 100% for the 10 mg dose, and > bioavailabilities of 80% and 50% for the doses of 25 and 50 mg, respectively. > In addition, a between-subject variability on F1 of ~30% would be present. > > If I now code my CL and V as follows: > CL=THETA(1)/F1 > V=THETA(2)/F1, > to account for the correlation between CL and V, what exactly would be the > meaning/interpretation of THETA(1) and THETA(2)? > As the THETAs would be the same for all doses, the CL of 50 mg would be twice > as high as the one for the 10 mg dose – does that make sense, as we already > estimated the reduced relative bioavailability using parameter F1? > > Any comments would be very much appreciated. > Thanks and best > Nele > > > > Dr. Nele Müller-Plock, CAPM > Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Pharmacometrics > Experimental Medicine > > Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > Switzerland > > Visitor address: > Alpenstrasse 3 > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > Switzerland > > Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 > Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 > mailto: [email protected] > http://www.takeda.com > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain > confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended > solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If > you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to > use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately > notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > -------------------------------------------------------------------- The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments.
Bob, You use an estimation method justification for choosing between estimating the covariance of CL and V and estimating the variance of F. An alternative view is to apply a fixed effect assumption based on pharmacokinetic theory. The fixed effect assumption is that some of the variation in CL and V is due to differences in bioavailability and other factors such as linear plasma protein binding and differences in the actual amount of drug in the oral formulation. This fixed effect assumption is described in the model by the variance of F. It is quite plausible to imagine that there is still some covariance between CL and V that is not related to the differences in F. For example, if you did not know the subject's weights and therefore could not account for the correlated effects of weight on CL and V. The estimation of the variance of F would only partly account for this because of the non-linear correlation of weight with CL and V. Another non-linear correlation would occur if plasma protein binding was non-linear in the range of measured total concentrations. In such case one might propose trying to estimate the covariance of CL and V as well as including F as a fixed effect and estimating the variance of F. Do you think that SAEM or IMP would be able to come up with a reasonable estimate of the covariance of CL and V? Best wishes, Nick
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On 26/11/2013 4:04 a.m., Bob Leary wrote: > Nele, > Basically what you have done is traded an off diagonal parameter in a two > dimensional Omega matrix for an extra on-diagonal parameter in a three > dimensional diagonal Omega matrix. > Y0u still have 3 Omega parameters either way. > For methods like SAEM and IMP, the two-dimensional formulation is much > preferable since you end up in a lower 2-d dimensional eta space which a) is > easier to sample, > b) is easily mu-modeled (not the case for the 3-d formulation) , and c) SAEM > and IMP methods handle full block Omegas very naturally, in fact more > naturally than > diagonal Omegas. With FOCEI it is not so clear if there would be any > difference at all. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Mueller-Plock, Nele > Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 2:05 AM > To: Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' > Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume > parameters > > Dear Leonid, > > Thanks for your answer. Maybe I was not completely clear about the reasons why > I tried to account for F1. The reason is that after oral dosing, a correlation > between CL and should be present, as these parameters in reality represent CL/F > and V/F. One way to account for this would be to estimate the correlation via > the $OMEGA BLOCK syntax. As this is sometimes hard to estimate, I looked if any > alternative is available, and then found the discussion of this topic in the > provided link ( http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php). > From your answer, I would conclude that the proposed code should only account > for random between-subject variability, i.e. it should only consider the ETA on > F1, but not the THETA (which in my example had values of 1, 0.8 and 0.5). Is > this correct? > > So whereas an increase in ETA on F1 without accounting for the correlation > would automatically result in positive ETA values for CL and V, even without > any inherent variability in true CL and V, with the code > > F1=1 > FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) > CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 > V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 > > this would already be taken care of, and the $OMEGA BLOCK could be omitted. > Right? > > Thanks and best > Nele > ______________________________________________________________ > > Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM > > Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics Therapeutic > Area Group > > Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 > > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > Switzerland > > Visitor address: > Alpenstrasse 3 > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > Switzerland > > Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 > Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 > > mailto: [email protected] > > http://www.takeda.com > > -----Original Message----- > From: Leonid Gibiansky [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Freitag, 22. November 2013 19:44 > To: Mueller-Plock, Nele; 'nmusers' > Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume > parameters > > Nele, > I am not sure why would you like to divide by F1. > Can we just do it explicitly? > > F1=EXP(ETA(1)) > (or F1=function(dose)*EXP(ETA(1)) > CL=.. > V=.. > > F1 can be > 1 as it is not absolute but relative (to the other subjects); I > assume that this is oral dose, not IV, correct? > > In your code, be careful not to call it F1 as the nonmem will interpret it as > bioavailability parameter, and you should not account for it twice. > > So it should be either > F1=EXP(ETA(1)) > CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) > V=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) > > or > > F1=1 (can me implicit and omitted) > FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) > CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 > V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 > > but not > > F1=EXP(ETA(1)) > CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 > V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 > > Leonid > > -------------------------------------- > Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. > President, QuantPharm LLC > web: www.quantpharm.com > e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com > tel: (301) 767 5566 > > On 11/22/2013 12:14 PM, Mueller-Plock, Nele wrote: > > > Dear all, > > > > I have come across an interesting proposal to account for correlation between > > CL and volume parameters by dividing by bioavailability within the NONMEM > > control stream: > > > > http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php > > > > I liked the approach, however I have been wondering how exactly to interpret > > the resulting parameter values for CL and V. > > > > As an illustration, a potential problem might be that we have doses of 10, 25 > > and 50 mg with a fixed bioavailability of 100% for the 10 mg dose, and > > bioavailabilities of 80% and 50% for the doses of 25 and 50 mg, respectively. > > In addition, a between-subject variability on F1 of ~30% would be present. > > > > If I now code my CL and V as follows: > > CL=THETA(1)/F1 > > V=THETA(2)/F1, > > to account for the correlation between CL and V, what exactly would be the > > meaning/interpretation of THETA(1) and THETA(2)? > > As the THETAs would be the same for all doses, the CL of 50 mg would be twice > > as high as the one for the 10 mg dose – does that make sense, as we already > > estimated the reduced relative bioavailability using parameter F1? > > > > Any comments would be very much appreciated. > > Thanks and best > > Nele > > > > Dr. Nele Müller-Plock, CAPM > > Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Pharmacometrics > > Experimental Medicine > > > > Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH > > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > > Switzerland > > > > Visitor address: > > Alpenstrasse 3 > > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > > Switzerland > > > > Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 > > Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 > > mailto: [email protected] > > http://www.takeda.com > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain > > confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended > > solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If > > you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to use, > > copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately notify > > the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments. > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain > confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended > solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If > you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to use, > copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately notify > the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > >
Hello all, I am a little concerned that this is more complicated than the simple trick we are talking about implementing. I think the trick can be used, but I am concerned about the empirical Bayes predictions using three random effects here, when thinking about the structural model, one could not fit such profiles individually using least squares due to lack of identifiability. The information is likely blurred between these random effects such that any plots of the empirical Bayes estimates would be likely misleading (shrinkage could be distributed in an odd way throughout). I am also not sure what the consequences would be for estimation for the FOCE case (maybe a multimodal issue?). If we ignore the extra correlation discussed by Nick below for now (this would require more thought) and just deal with correlation induced by F alone (and we ignore the constrain the F<=1 such that log-normal eta for F could be entertained), then this in my mind is a constrained OMEGA matrix optimization problem. That is, the variability in F places a specific structure on OMEGA. Only one more parameter (variance component) needs to be estimated than the number of compartments. For example, take a 2 compartment model (CL,Vc,Q,Vp). One can write the model as: CL=theta1*EXP(eta1-etaF) Vc=theta2*EXP(eta2-etaF) Q =theta3*EXP(eta3-etaF) Vp=theta4*EXP(eta4-etaF) The OMEGA matrix in terms of V11=Var(eta1) … V44=Var(eta4), VFF=Var(etaF), with Covar(etai,etaF)=0 is V11+VFF VFF VFF VFF VFF V22+VFF VFF VFF VFF VFF V33+VFF VFF VFF VFF VFF V44+VFF And one can see 5 identifiable parameters. To avoid 5 etas, maybe we can reparameterize using the (Log-)Cholesky decomposition. Let OMEGA=S’S where S is an upper triangular matrix, then S11^2=V11+VFF, S11*S12=VFF, S11*S13=VFF, S11*S14=VFF, etc (unless someone is really interested I will leave this out), such that elements of S, Sij, can be calculated in terms of V11, .. VFF. Then we can reparameterize the model ET1=S11*eta1 ET2=S12*eta1+S22*eta2 ET3=S13*eta1+S23*eta2+S33*eta3 ET4=S14*eta1+S24*eta2+S34*eta3+S44*eta4 Where these etas, are N(0,1) and CL=theta1*EXP(ET1), etc. Sorry to make this more complicated. I have not really examined this other than mere contemplation. Would be interested to know what people think. Kind regards, Matt
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Nick Holford Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 13:43 To: 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Bob, You use an estimation method justification for choosing between estimating the covariance of CL and V and estimating the variance of F. An alternative view is to apply a fixed effect assumption based on pharmacokinetic theory. The fixed effect assumption is that some of the variation in CL and V is due to differences in bioavailability and other factors such as linear plasma protein binding and differences in the actual amount of drug in the oral formulation. This fixed effect assumption is described in the model by the variance of F. It is quite plausible to imagine that there is still some covariance between CL and V that is not related to the differences in F. For example, if you did not know the subject's weights and therefore could not account for the correlated effects of weight on CL and V. The estimation of the variance of F would only partly account for this because of the non-linear correlation of weight with CL and V. Another non-linear correlation would occur if plasma protein binding was non-linear in the range of measured total concentrations. In such case one might propose trying to estimate the covariance of CL and V as well as including F as a fixed effect and estimating the variance of F. Do you think that SAEM or IMP would be able to come up with a reasonable estimate of the covariance of CL and V? Best wishes, Nick On 26/11/2013 4:04 a.m., Bob Leary wrote: Nele, Basically what you have done is traded an off diagonal parameter in a two dimensional Omega matrix for an extra on-diagonal parameter in a three dimensional diagonal Omega matrix. Y0u still have 3 Omega parameters either way. For methods like SAEM and IMP, the two-dimensional formulation is much preferable since you end up in a lower 2-d dimensional eta space which a) is easier to sample, b) is easily mu-modeled (not the case for the 3-d formulation) , and c) SAEM and IMP methods handle full block Omegas very naturally, in fact more naturally than diagonal Omegas. With FOCEI it is not so clear if there would be any difference at all. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mueller-Plock, Nele Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 2:05 AM To: Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Dear Leonid, Thanks for your answer. Maybe I was not completely clear about the reasons why I tried to account for F1. The reason is that after oral dosing, a correlation between CL and should be present, as these parameters in reality represent CL/F and V/F. One way to account for this would be to estimate the correlation via the $OMEGA BLOCK syntax. As this is sometimes hard to estimate, I looked if any alternative is available, and then found the discussion of this topic in the provided link ( http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php). >From your answer, I would conclude that the proposed code should only account >for random between-subject variability, i.e. it should only consider the ETA >on F1, but not the THETA (which in my example had values of 1, 0.8 and 0.5). >Is this correct? So whereas an increase in ETA on F1 without accounting for the correlation would automatically result in positive ETA values for CL and V, even without any inherent variability in true CL and V, with the code F1=1 FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 this would already be taken care of, and the $OMEGA BLOCK could be omitted. Right? Thanks and best Nele ______________________________________________________________ Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics Therapeutic Area Group Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Visitor address: Alpenstrasse 3 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 mailto: [email protected] http://www.takeda.com -----Original Message----- From: Leonid Gibiansky [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Freitag, 22. November 2013 19:44 To: Mueller-Plock, Nele; 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Nele, I am not sure why would you like to divide by F1. Can we just do it explicitly? F1=EXP(ETA(1)) (or F1=function(dose)*EXP(ETA(1)) CL=.. V=.. F1 can be > 1 as it is not absolute but relative (to the other subjects); I assume that this is oral dose, not IV, correct? In your code, be careful not to call it F1 as the nonmem will interpret it as bioavailability parameter, and you should not account for it twice. So it should be either F1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) V=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) or F1=1 (can me implicit and omitted) FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 but not F1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 Leonid
Another argument in favor of using F1 ~ EXP(ETA(1)) instead of block OMEGA matrix is the covariate modeling. In cases where variability in apparent CL and V is due to the F1 variability, this formulation allows for more mechanistic interpretation of the covariate effects and ETA dependencies on covariates. For example, one can easily explain why ETA_F1 may depend on food while it is less straightforward to interpret ETA_V dependence on food. So while these models (with F1=1 and OMEGA block versus F1=EXP(ETA(1)) and diagnonal OMEGA), may be numerically similar if not equivalent, it could be better to use more mechanistically relevant model and put the variability where it would be expected from the mechanistic point of view. Regards, Leonid -------------------------------------- Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. President, QuantPharm LLC web: www.quantpharm.com e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com tel: (301) 767 5566
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On 11/25/2013 1:43 PM, Nick Holford wrote: > Bob, > > You use an estimation method justification for choosing between > estimating the covariance of CL and V and estimating the variance of F. > > An alternative view is to apply a fixed effect assumption based on > pharmacokinetic theory. The fixed effect assumption is that some of the > variation in CL and V is due to differences in bioavailability and other > factors such as linear plasma protein binding and differences in the > actual amount of drug in the oral formulation. This fixed effect > assumption is described in the model by the variance of F. > > It is quite plausible to imagine that there is still some covariance > between CL and V that is not related to the differences in F. For > example, if you did not know the subject's weights and therefore could > not account for the correlated effects of weight on CL and V. The > estimation of the variance of F would only partly account for this > because of the non-linear correlation of weight with CL and V. Another > non-linear correlation would occur if plasma protein binding was > non-linear in the range of measured total concentrations. > > In such case one might propose trying to estimate the covariance of CL > and V as well as including F as a fixed effect and estimating the > variance of F. Do you think that SAEM or IMP would be able to come up > with a reasonable estimate of the covariance of CL and V? > > Best wishes, > > Nick > > On 26/11/2013 4:04 a.m., Bob Leary wrote: > > > Nele, > > Basically what you have done is traded an off diagonal parameter in a two > > dimensional Omega matrix for an extra on-diagonal parameter in a three > > dimensional diagonal Omega matrix. > > Y0u still have 3 Omega parameters either way. > > For methods like SAEM and IMP, the two-dimensional formulation is much > > preferable since you end up in a lower 2-d dimensional eta space which a) is > > easier to sample, > > b) is easily mu-modeled (not the case for the 3-d formulation) , and c) SAEM > > and IMP methods handle full block Omegas very naturally, in fact more > > naturally than > > diagonal Omegas. With FOCEI it is not so clear if there would be any > > difference at all. > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From:[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > > Behalf Of Mueller-Plock, Nele > > Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 2:05 AM > > To: Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' > > Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume > > parameters > > > > Dear Leonid, > > > > Thanks for your answer. Maybe I was not completely clear about the reasons why > > I tried to account for F1. The reason is that after oral dosing, a correlation > > between CL and should be present, as these parameters in reality represent CL/F > > and V/F. One way to account for this would be to estimate the correlation via > > the $OMEGA BLOCK syntax. As this is sometimes hard to estimate, I looked if any > > alternative is available, and then found the discussion of this topic in the > > provided link ( http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php). > > >From your answer, I would conclude that the proposed code should only account > > for random between-subject variability, i.e. it should only consider the ETA on > > F1, but not the THETA (which in my example had values of 1, 0.8 and 0.5). Is this > > correct? > > > > So whereas an increase in ETA on F1 without accounting for the correlation > > would automatically result in positive ETA values for CL and V, even without > > any inherent variability in true CL and V, with the code > > > > F1=1 > > FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) > > CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 > > V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 > > > > this would already be taken care of, and the $OMEGA BLOCK could be omitted. > > Right? > > > > Thanks and best > > Nele > > ______________________________________________________________ > > > > Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM > > Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics Therapeutic > > Area Group > > > > Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 > > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > > Switzerland > > > > Visitor address: > > Alpenstrasse 3 > > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > > Switzerland > > > > Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 > > Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 > > > > mailto:[email protected] > > http://www.takeda.com > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Leonid Gibiansky [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Freitag, 22. November 2013 19:44 > > To: Mueller-Plock, Nele; 'nmusers' > > Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume > > parameters > > > > Nele, > > I am not sure why would you like to divide by F1. > > Can we just do it explicitly? > > > > F1=EXP(ETA(1)) > > (or F1=function(dose)*EXP(ETA(1)) > > CL=.. > > V=.. > > > > F1 can be > 1 as it is not absolute but relative (to the other subjects); I > > assume that this is oral dose, not IV, correct? > > > > In your code, be careful not to call it F1 as the nonmem will interpret it as > > bioavailability parameter, and you should not account for it twice. > > > > So it should be either > > F1=EXP(ETA(1)) > > CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) > > V=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) > > > > or > > > > F1=1 (can me implicit and omitted) > > FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) > > CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 > > V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 > > > > but not > > > > F1=EXP(ETA(1)) > > CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 > > V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 > > > > Leonid > > > > -------------------------------------- > > Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. > > President, QuantPharm LLC > > web:www.quantpharm.com > > e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com > > tel: (301) 767 5566 > > > > On 11/22/2013 12:14 PM, Mueller-Plock, Nele wrote: > > > > > Dear all, > > > > > > I have come across an interesting proposal to account for correlation between > > > CL and volume parameters by dividing by bioavailability within the NONMEM > > > control stream: > > > > > > http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php > > > > > > I liked the approach, however I have been wondering how exactly to interpret > > > the resulting parameter values for CL and V. > > > > > > As an illustration, a potential problem might be that we have doses of 10, 25 > > > and 50 mg with a fixed bioavailability of 100% for the 10 mg dose, and > > > bioavailabilities of 80% and 50% for the doses of 25 and 50 mg, respectively. > > > In addition, a between-subject variability on F1 of ~30% would be present. > > > > > > If I now code my CL and V as follows: > > > CL=THETA(1)/F1 > > > V=THETA(2)/F1, > > > to account for the correlation between CL and V, what exactly would be the > > > meaning/interpretation of THETA(1) and THETA(2)? > > > As the THETAs would be the same for all doses, the CL of 50 mg would be twice > > > as high as the one for the 10 mg dose – does that make sense, as we already > > > estimated the reduced relative bioavailability using parameter F1? > > > > > > Any comments would be very much appreciated. > > > Thanks and best > > > Nele > > > > > > Dr. Nele Müller-Plock, CAPM > > > Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Pharmacometrics > > > Experimental Medicine > > > > > > Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH > > > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > > > Switzerland > > > > > > Visitor address: > > > Alpenstrasse 3 > > > 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) > > > Switzerland > > > > > > Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 > > > Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 > > > mailto:[email protected] > > > http://www.takeda.com > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain > > > confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended > > > solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If > > > you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to use, > > > copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately notify > > > the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments. > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain > > confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended > > solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If > > you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to use, > > copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please immediately notify > > the sender and thereafter delete this email and any attachments. > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >
Dear Bob, The 3-eta parameterization really is mathematically equivalent to a 2-eta parameterization that has a non-negative covariance term. Here the 3-eta form is just two linear combinations of normal random variables, which form a bivariate normal with non-negative covariance. No other restrictions are there. Regards, Peiming
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bob Leary Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 5:09 AM To: Nick Holford; 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Nick – I defer to you and the undoubtedly many other readers who know far more about pharmacokinetic theory than I do as to which particular formulation is more appropriate from a PK theoretic point of view. I was merely trying to note (and as I point out below, incorrectly) that something like the 2-eta formulation CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1)) V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2)) Where ETA(1) and ETA(2) have a full 2 by 2 block correlation matrix so that correlation between ETA(1) and ETA(2) is Handled by an OMEGA(1,2) parameter Is ‘mathematically equivalent’ to a 3-eta formulation with a 3 by 3 diagonal Omega (ETA(1), ETA(2), ETA(3) independent) FF1=EXP(ETA(3)) CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1))/FF1 V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2))/FF1 (The fact that FF1 formally looks like a bioavailability is irrelevant here, since I was not really intending to make any specific comments or recommendations with respect to how best to deal with bioavailabilities) Now that I look at it a bit more closely, the formulations actually are not at all mathematically equivalent (the 2 by 2 block formulation is much more General than the 3 by 3 diagonal formulation, even though they have the same number of parameters). While all 3 by 3 diagonal Omegas have Equivalent 2 by 2 block Omegas, the reverse is clearly not true. This is most easily seen in in the second 3 by 3 diagonal formulation where CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1)-ETA(3)), and V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2)-ETA(3)), so cov(log CL, log V) = var(ETA(3)) >0. Thus in the second diagonal 3-eta formulation, the log CL-log V correlation must be positive (or at least non-negative), while there is no such restriction on the full block 2-eta formulation. So in fact the 2-eta block formulation is more general. I think it is even worse than this – there appear to be some regions of the block 2 eta parameter space that do not have equivalents in the diagonal 3-eta space even when the correlations are positive. (For example, if log CL and log V are highly correlated, then the variance of ETA(3) must be very large relative to the variance of ETA(2) and ETA(1) in the 3-eta formulation. But this means the variance of ETA(1) and ETA(2) in an equivalent two eta formulation must be relatively similar and roughly equal to the variance of ETA(3) in the 3-eta formulation. So without working out the details, I think there are regions of the block 2-eta space corresponding to highly correlated log CL and log V but with very different log CL and log V variances that are unattainable in the 3-eta formulations. So in fact the second 3 eta diagonal formulation is fundamentally different and less general than the first 2eta block formulation. But this just means that if CL and V are correlated only thru the F11 bioavailability like mechanism posited in the 3-eta formulation, there are restrictions as to what the corresponding 2 by 2 full block omega matrix can looks like. This leaves open the interesting point – run it both ways, and then see if the 2 by 2 and 3 by 3 methods produce compatible Omegas. If not, then this might provide some evidence that the coupling is more complicated than just that posited in the 3 by 3 diagonal model But in any event, the EM methods are not well suited to the second case, and will be inefficient relative to the first case if indeed they work at all (which may depend on the particular implementation) One problem is that the EM update of THETA(1) in the second case depends on the means for the various subjects of the posterior distributions of both ETA(1) and ETA(3) – most EM implementations usually have one or possibly several fixed effects coupled to a single random effect, and the update of that fixed effect, at least in the simple mu-modeled case, comes from a simple linear regression of the associated fixed effects on the posterior means of the single random effect. The fact that now there are multiple random effects paired with a single fixed effect is unusual and may not in fact be handled (I am not sure what NONMEM IMPEM will do with this; I am pretty sure that the analogous Phoenix NLME QRPEM will reject it). Bob From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Nick Holford Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 1:43 PM To: 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Bob, You use an estimation method justification for choosing between estimating the covariance of CL and V and estimating the variance of F. An alternative view is to apply a fixed effect assumption based on pharmacokinetic theory. The fixed effect assumption is that some of the variation in CL and V is due to differences in bioavailability and other factors such as linear plasma protein binding and differences in the actual amount of drug in the oral formulation. This fixed effect assumption is described in the model by the variance of F. It is quite plausible to imagine that there is still some covariance between CL and V that is not related to the differences in F. For example, if you did not know the subject's weights and therefore could not account for the correlated effects of weight on CL and V. The estimation of the variance of F would only partly account for this because of the non-linear correlation of weight with CL and V. Another non-linear correlation would occur if plasma protein binding was non-linear in the range of measured total concentrations. In such case one might propose trying to estimate the covariance of CL and V as well as including F as a fixed effect and estimating the variance of F. Do you think that SAEM or IMP would be able to come up with a reasonable estimate of the covariance of CL and V? Best wishes, Nick
Dear all, Thanks for picking up this discussion, and bringing in so many points of view. When I started the discussion I had in mind the physiological viewpoint, from which we know that if there is between-subject variability in F1, this must result in a correlation between volume and CL parameters. From the discussions I would conclude that the group would favor to account for this correlation via inclusion of ETA on F1 and then a coding of FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 whereas this does not mean that there is no additional correlation between the parameters which needs to be accounted for in the off-diagonal OMEGA BLOCK structure? Also, I am afraid I was not able to completely follow Matt's argumentation, but would also be interested to hear if implementing the code above might lead to misleading plots. Thanks and best Nele ______________________________________________________________ Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics Therapeutic Area Group Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Visitor address: Alpenstrasse 3 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 mailto: [email protected] http://www.takeda.com
Quoted reply history
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Leonid Gibiansky Sent: Dienstag, 26. November 2013 00:51 To: 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Another argument in favor of using F1 ~ EXP(ETA(1)) instead of block OMEGA matrix is the covariate modeling. In cases where variability in apparent CL and V is due to the F1 variability, this formulation allows for more mechanistic interpretation of the covariate effects and ETA dependencies on covariates. For example, one can easily explain why ETA_F1 may depend on food while it is less straightforward to interpret ETA_V dependence on food. So while these models (with F1=1 and OMEGA block versus F1=EXP(ETA(1)) and diagnonal OMEGA), may be numerically similar if not equivalent, it could be better to use more mechanistically relevant model and put the variability where it would be expected from the mechanistic point of view. Regards, Leonid -------------------------------------- Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. President, QuantPharm LLC web: www.quantpharm.com e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com tel: (301) 767 5566 On 11/25/2013 1:43 PM, Nick Holford wrote: > Bob, > > You use an estimation method justification for choosing between > estimating the covariance of CL and V and estimating the variance of F. > > An alternative view is to apply a fixed effect assumption based on > pharmacokinetic theory. The fixed effect assumption is that some of > the variation in CL and V is due to differences in bioavailability and > other factors such as linear plasma protein binding and differences in > the actual amount of drug in the oral formulation. This fixed effect > assumption is described in the model by the variance of F. > > It is quite plausible to imagine that there is still some covariance > between CL and V that is not related to the differences in F. For > example, if you did not know the subject's weights and therefore could > not account for the correlated effects of weight on CL and V. The > estimation of the variance of F would only partly account for this > because of the non-linear correlation of weight with CL and V. Another > non-linear correlation would occur if plasma protein binding was > non-linear in the range of measured total concentrations. > > In such case one might propose trying to estimate the covariance of CL > and V as well as including F as a fixed effect and estimating the > variance of F. Do you think that SAEM or IMP would be able to come up > with a reasonable estimate of the covariance of CL and V? > > Best wishes, > > Nick > > > On 26/11/2013 4:04 a.m., Bob Leary wrote: >> Nele, >> Basically what you have done is traded an off diagonal parameter in a two >> dimensional Omega matrix for an extra on-diagonal parameter in a three >> dimensional diagonal Omega matrix. >> Y0u still have 3 Omega parameters either way. >> For methods like SAEM and IMP, the two-dimensional formulation is >> much preferable since you end up in a lower 2-d dimensional eta space >> which a) is easier to sample, >> b) is easily mu-modeled (not the case for the 3-d formulation) , and c) >> SAEM and IMP methods handle full block Omegas very naturally, in fact more >> naturally than >> diagonal Omegas. With FOCEI it is not so clear if there would be any >> difference at all. >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From:[email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mueller-Plock, >> Nele >> Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 2:05 AM >> To: Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' >> Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL >> and volume parameters >> >> Dear Leonid, >> >> Thanks for your answer. Maybe I was not completely clear about the reasons >> why I tried to account for F1. The reason is that after oral dosing, a >> correlation between CL and should be present, as these parameters in reality >> represent CL/F and V/F. One way to account for this would be to estimate the >> correlation via the $OMEGA BLOCK syntax. As this is sometimes hard to >> estimate, I looked if any alternative is available, and then found the >> discussion of this topic in the provided link >> ( http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php). >> >From your answer, I would conclude that the proposed code should only >> >account for random between-subject variability, i.e. it should only >> >consider the ETA on F1, but not the THETA (which in my example had values >> >of 1, 0.8 and 0.5). Is this correct? >> >> So whereas an increase in ETA on F1 without accounting for the >> correlation would automatically result in positive ETA values for CL >> and V, even without any inherent variability in true CL and V, with >> the code >> >> F1=1 >> FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 >> V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 >> >> this would already be taken care of, and the $OMEGA BLOCK could be omitted. >> Right? >> >> Thanks and best >> Nele >> ______________________________________________________________ >> >> Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM >> Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics >> Therapeutic Area Group >> >> Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 >> 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) >> Switzerland >> >> Visitor address: >> Alpenstrasse 3 >> 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) >> Switzerland >> >> Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 >> Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 >> >> mailto:[email protected] >> http://www.takeda.com >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Leonid Gibiansky [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Freitag, 22. November 2013 19:44 >> To: Mueller-Plock, Nele; 'nmusers' >> Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL >> and volume parameters >> >> Nele, >> I am not sure why would you like to divide by F1. >> Can we just do it explicitly? >> >> F1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> (or F1=function(dose)*EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=.. >> V=.. >> >> F1 can be > 1 as it is not absolute but relative (to the other subjects); I >> assume that this is oral dose, not IV, correct? >> >> In your code, be careful not to call it F1 as the nonmem will interpret it >> as bioavailability parameter, and you should not account for it twice. >> >> So it should be either >> F1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) >> V=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) >> >> or >> >> F1=1 (can me implicit and omitted) >> FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 >> V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 >> >> but not >> >> F1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 >> V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 >> >> Leonid >> >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------- >> Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. >> President, QuantPharm LLC >> web:www.quantpharm.com >> e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com >> tel: (301) 767 5566 >> >> >> >> On 11/22/2013 12:14 PM, Mueller-Plock, Nele wrote: >>> Dear all, >>> >>> I have come across an interesting proposal to account for correlation >>> between CL and volume parameters by dividing by bioavailability within the >>> NONMEM control stream: >>> >>> http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php >>> >>> I liked the approach, however I have been wondering how exactly to >>> interpret the resulting parameter values for CL and V. >>> >>> As an illustration, a potential problem might be that we have doses of 10, >>> 25 and 50 mg with a fixed bioavailability of 100% for the 10 mg dose, and >>> bioavailabilities of 80% and 50% for the doses of 25 and 50 mg, >>> respectively. In addition, a between-subject variability on F1 of ~30% >>> would be present. >>> >>> If I now code my CL and V as follows: >>> CL=THETA(1)/F1 >>> V=THETA(2)/F1, >>> to account for the correlation between CL and V, what exactly would be the >>> meaning/interpretation of THETA(1) and THETA(2)? >>> As the THETAs would be the same for all doses, the CL of 50 mg would be >>> twice as high as the one for the 10 mg dose – does that make sense, as we >>> already estimated the reduced relative bioavailability using parameter F1? >>> >>> Any comments would be very much appreciated. >>> Thanks and best >>> Nele >>> >>> >>> >>> Dr. Nele Müller-Plock, CAPM >>> Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Pharmacometrics >>> Experimental Medicine >>> >>> Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH >>> 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) >>> Switzerland >>> >>> Visitor address: >>> Alpenstrasse 3 >>> 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) >>> Switzerland >>> >>> Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 >>> Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 >>> mailto:[email protected] >>> http://www.takeda.com >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain >>> confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended >>> solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. >>> If you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever >>> to use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please >>> immediately notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any >>> attachments. >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain >> confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended >> solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If >> you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to >> use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please >> immediately notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any >> attachments. >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> >>
Hi Nele, I believe Matt's point was more to the situation where any remaining correlation between CL and V random components can not be accounted for by covariates, so that both eta on F and block2 on CL and V is used? If eta on F and covariates takes care of the correlation between CL and V: I would say that you may get even more informative diagnostics with this implementation. For example, if you have not yet taken dose/formulation into account and this affects only F, it would come out as a clearer trend on the eta1 (relative F). This would help in interpretation (but I would highlight Nick's earlier point that eta on F may capture other nonlinearities that are shared between CL and V; like degree of protein binding for a low-extraction drug). Best Jakob
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-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mueller-Plock, Nele Sent: 26 November 2013 08:21 To: Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Dear all, Thanks for picking up this discussion, and bringing in so many points of view. When I started the discussion I had in mind the physiological viewpoint, from which we know that if there is between-subject variability in F1, this must result in a correlation between volume and CL parameters. From the discussions I would conclude that the group would favor to account for this correlation via inclusion of ETA on F1 and then a coding of FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 whereas this does not mean that there is no additional correlation between the parameters which needs to be accounted for in the off-diagonal OMEGA BLOCK structure? Also, I am afraid I was not able to completely follow Matt's argumentation, but would also be interested to hear if implementing the code above might lead to misleading plots. Thanks and best Nele ______________________________________________________________ Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics Therapeutic Area Group Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Visitor address: Alpenstrasse 3 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) Switzerland Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 mailto: [email protected] http://www.takeda.com -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Leonid Gibiansky Sent: Dienstag, 26. November 2013 00:51 To: 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Another argument in favor of using F1 ~ EXP(ETA(1)) instead of block OMEGA matrix is the covariate modeling. In cases where variability in apparent CL and V is due to the F1 variability, this formulation allows for more mechanistic interpretation of the covariate effects and ETA dependencies on covariates. For example, one can easily explain why ETA_F1 may depend on food while it is less straightforward to interpret ETA_V dependence on food. So while these models (with F1=1 and OMEGA block versus F1=EXP(ETA(1)) and diagnonal OMEGA), may be numerically similar if not equivalent, it could be better to use more mechanistically relevant model and put the variability where it would be expected from the mechanistic point of view. Regards, Leonid -------------------------------------- Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. President, QuantPharm LLC web: www.quantpharm.com e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com tel: (301) 767 5566 On 11/25/2013 1:43 PM, Nick Holford wrote: > Bob, > > You use an estimation method justification for choosing between > estimating the covariance of CL and V and estimating the variance of F. > > An alternative view is to apply a fixed effect assumption based on > pharmacokinetic theory. The fixed effect assumption is that some of > the variation in CL and V is due to differences in bioavailability and > other factors such as linear plasma protein binding and differences in > the actual amount of drug in the oral formulation. This fixed effect > assumption is described in the model by the variance of F. > > It is quite plausible to imagine that there is still some covariance > between CL and V that is not related to the differences in F. For > example, if you did not know the subject's weights and therefore could > not account for the correlated effects of weight on CL and V. The > estimation of the variance of F would only partly account for this > because of the non-linear correlation of weight with CL and V. Another > non-linear correlation would occur if plasma protein binding was > non-linear in the range of measured total concentrations. > > In such case one might propose trying to estimate the covariance of CL > and V as well as including F as a fixed effect and estimating the > variance of F. Do you think that SAEM or IMP would be able to come up > with a reasonable estimate of the covariance of CL and V? > > Best wishes, > > Nick > > > On 26/11/2013 4:04 a.m., Bob Leary wrote: >> Nele, >> Basically what you have done is traded an off diagonal parameter in a two >> dimensional Omega matrix for an extra on-diagonal parameter in a three >> dimensional diagonal Omega matrix. >> Y0u still have 3 Omega parameters either way. >> For methods like SAEM and IMP, the two-dimensional formulation is >> much preferable since you end up in a lower 2-d dimensional eta space >> which a) is easier to sample, >> b) is easily mu-modeled (not the case for the 3-d formulation) , and c) >> SAEM and IMP methods handle full block Omegas very naturally, in fact more >> naturally than >> diagonal Omegas. With FOCEI it is not so clear if there would be any >> difference at all. >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From:[email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mueller-Plock, >> Nele >> Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 2:05 AM >> To: Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' >> Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL >> and volume parameters >> >> Dear Leonid, >> >> Thanks for your answer. Maybe I was not completely clear about the reasons >> why I tried to account for F1. The reason is that after oral dosing, a >> correlation between CL and should be present, as these parameters in reality >> represent CL/F and V/F. One way to account for this would be to estimate the >> correlation via the $OMEGA BLOCK syntax. As this is sometimes hard to >> estimate, I looked if any alternative is available, and then found the >> discussion of this topic in the provided link >> ( http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php). >> >From your answer, I would conclude that the proposed code should only >> >account for random between-subject variability, i.e. it should only >> >consider the ETA on F1, but not the THETA (which in my example had values >> >of 1, 0.8 and 0.5). Is this correct? >> >> So whereas an increase in ETA on F1 without accounting for the >> correlation would automatically result in positive ETA values for CL >> and V, even without any inherent variability in true CL and V, with >> the code >> >> F1=1 >> FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 >> V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 >> >> this would already be taken care of, and the $OMEGA BLOCK could be omitted. >> Right? >> >> Thanks and best >> Nele >> ______________________________________________________________ >> >> Dr. Nele Mueller-Plock, CAPM >> Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Global Pharmacometrics >> Therapeutic Area Group >> >> Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH Thurgauerstrasse 130 >> 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) >> Switzerland >> >> Visitor address: >> Alpenstrasse 3 >> 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) >> Switzerland >> >> Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 >> Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 >> >> mailto:[email protected] >> http://www.takeda.com >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Leonid Gibiansky [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Freitag, 22. November 2013 19:44 >> To: Mueller-Plock, Nele; 'nmusers' >> Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL >> and volume parameters >> >> Nele, >> I am not sure why would you like to divide by F1. >> Can we just do it explicitly? >> >> F1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> (or F1=function(dose)*EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=.. >> V=.. >> >> F1 can be > 1 as it is not absolute but relative (to the other subjects); I >> assume that this is oral dose, not IV, correct? >> >> In your code, be careful not to call it F1 as the nonmem will interpret it >> as bioavailability parameter, and you should not account for it twice. >> >> So it should be either >> F1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) >> V=THETA()*EXP(ETA()) >> >> or >> >> F1=1 (can me implicit and omitted) >> FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 >> V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 >> >> but not >> >> F1=EXP(ETA(1)) >> CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 >> V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/F1 >> >> Leonid >> >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------- >> Leonid Gibiansky, Ph.D. >> President, QuantPharm LLC >> web:www.quantpharm.com >> e-mail: LGibiansky at quantpharm.com >> tel: (301) 767 5566 >> >> >> >> On 11/22/2013 12:14 PM, Mueller-Plock, Nele wrote: >>> Dear all, >>> >>> I have come across an interesting proposal to account for correlation >>> between CL and volume parameters by dividing by bioavailability within the >>> NONMEM control stream: >>> >>> http://www.wright-dose.com/tip2.php >>> >>> I liked the approach, however I have been wondering how exactly to >>> interpret the resulting parameter values for CL and V. >>> >>> As an illustration, a potential problem might be that we have doses of 10, >>> 25 and 50 mg with a fixed bioavailability of 100% for the 10 mg dose, and >>> bioavailabilities of 80% and 50% for the doses of 25 and 50 mg, >>> respectively. In addition, a between-subject variability on F1 of ~30% >>> would be present. >>> >>> If I now code my CL and V as follows: >>> CL=THETA(1)/F1 >>> V=THETA(2)/F1, >>> to account for the correlation between CL and V, what exactly would be the >>> meaning/interpretation of THETA(1) and THETA(2)? >>> As the THETAs would be the same for all doses, the CL of 50 mg would be >>> twice as high as the one for the 10 mg dose – does that make sense, as we >>> already estimated the reduced relative bioavailability using parameter F1? >>> >>> Any comments would be very much appreciated. >>> Thanks and best >>> Nele >>> >>> >>> >>> Dr. Nele Müller-Plock, CAPM >>> Principal Scientist Modeling and Simulation Pharmacometrics >>> Experimental Medicine >>> >>> Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH >>> 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) >>> Switzerland >>> >>> Visitor address: >>> Alpenstrasse 3 >>> 8152 Glattpark-Opfikon (Zürich) >>> Switzerland >>> >>> Phone: (+41) 44 / 55 51 404 >>> Mobile: (+41) 79 / 654 33 99 >>> mailto:[email protected] >>> http://www.takeda.com >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain >>> confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended >>> solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. >>> If you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever >>> to use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please >>> immediately notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any >>> attachments. >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> The content of this email and of any files transmitted may contain >> confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended >> solely for the use of the person/s or entity/ies to whom it is addressed. If >> you have received this email in error you have no permission whatsoever to >> use, copy, disclose or forward all or any of its contents. Please >> immediately notify the sender and thereafter delete this email and any >> attachments. >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> >>
Hi Jacob, and everyone, Sorry to be unclear and if I have added any confusion. My derivation was for the oral/SC administration (into a depot compartment) case with no IV data and with no extra CL/V correlation. If there were extra correlation, the OMEGA matrix would look like V11+VFF VFF+COV(eta1,eta2) VFF+COV(eta1,eta3) VFF+COV(eta1,eta4) VFF+COV(eta2,eta1) V22+VFF VFF+COV(eta2,eta3) VFF+COV(eta2,eta4) VFF+COV(eta3,eta1) VFF+COV(eta3,eta2) V33+VFF VFF VFF+COV(eta3,eta4) VFF+COV(eta4,eta1) VFF+COV(eta4,eta2) VFF+COV(eta4,eta3) V44+VFF which would not be identifiable without the IV data. In my opinion, if there is no IV data, the F is really just conceptual. It is a a way of thinking about certain covariates that affect both CL and V etc in an identical way. Parameterization using covariates (which I do often) and an eta on F is just a trick (in the no-IV data case) to get the OMEGA matrix as previously defined and to avoid having to specify eg, CL=THETA(1)/(1+THETA(2)*FOOD) V=THETA(3)/(1+THETA(2)*FOOD), in the model (which is equivalent). In this case, I am concerned about adding the extra eta on F to constrain the OMEGA matrix because of the whole identifiability issue. Plots would certainly be affected (there really aren't 3 etas in the non-IV data case). In there is no extra-correlation, and F is inducing a high degree of correlation, one might consider putting the eta's on V, K, K12 and K21. The variability of F would be lumped into V, and this would cancel from the K's allowing a diagonal matrix (note that one would need to be careful how one parameterized this and it does not preclude evaluating and estimating fixed effects on CL, V, etc.) Best, Matt (I have trimmed some of the earliest emails from this note to ensure delivery).
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-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ribbing, Jakob Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 05:46 To: Mueller-Plock, Nele; Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' Cc: Ribbing, Jakob Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Hi Nele, I believe Matt's point was more to the situation where any remaining correlation between CL and V random components can not be accounted for by covariates, so that both eta on F and block2 on CL and V is used? If eta on F and covariates takes care of the correlation between CL and V: I would say that you may get even more informative diagnostics with this implementation. For example, if you have not yet taken dose/formulation into account and this affects only F, it would come out as a clearer trend on the eta1 (relative F). This would help in interpretation (but I would highlight Nick's earlier point that eta on F may capture other nonlinearities that are shared between CL and V; like degree of protein binding for a low-extraction drug). Best Jakob -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mueller-Plock, Nele Sent: 26 November 2013 08:21 To: Leonid Gibiansky; 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Dear all, Thanks for picking up this discussion, and bringing in so many points of view. When I started the discussion I had in mind the physiological viewpoint, from which we know that if there is between-subject variability in F1, this must result in a correlation between volume and CL parameters. From the discussions I would conclude that the group would favor to account for this correlation via inclusion of ETA on F1 and then a coding of FF1=EXP(ETA(1)) CL=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 V=THETA()*EXP(ETA())/FF1 whereas this does not mean that there is no additional correlation between the parameters which needs to be accounted for in the off-diagonal OMEGA BLOCK structure? Also, I am afraid I was not able to completely follow Matt's argumentation, but would also be interested to hear if implementing the code above might lead to misleading plots. Thanks and best Nele
Peiming – Thanks – you are right. The only constraint that the diagonal 3-eta parameterization parameterization places is that the covariance term of the block 2-eta Omega is non-negative.
Quoted reply history
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Peiming Ma Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 8:55 PM To: 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Dear Bob, The 3-eta parameterization really is mathematically equivalent to a 2-eta parameterization that has a non-negative covariance term. Here the 3-eta form is just two linear combinations of normal random variables, which form a bivariate normal with non-negative covariance. No other restrictions are there. Regards, Peiming From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bob Leary Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 5:09 AM To: Nick Holford; 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Nick – I defer to you and the undoubtedly many other readers who know far more about pharmacokinetic theory than I do as to which particular formulation is more appropriate from a PK theoretic point of view. I was merely trying to note (and as I point out below, incorrectly) that something like the 2-eta formulation CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1)) V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2)) Where ETA(1) and ETA(2) have a full 2 by 2 block correlation matrix so that correlation between ETA(1) and ETA(2) is Handled by an OMEGA(1,2) parameter Is ‘mathematically equivalent’ to a 3-eta formulation with a 3 by 3 diagonal Omega (ETA(1), ETA(2), ETA(3) independent) FF1=EXP(ETA(3)) CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1))/FF1 V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2))/FF1 (The fact that FF1 formally looks like a bioavailability is irrelevant here, since I was not really intending to make any specific comments or recommendations with respect to how best to deal with bioavailabilities) Now that I look at it a bit more closely, the formulations actually are not at all mathematically equivalent (the 2 by 2 block formulation is much more General than the 3 by 3 diagonal formulation, even though they have the same number of parameters). While all 3 by 3 diagonal Omegas have Equivalent 2 by 2 block Omegas, the reverse is clearly not true. This is most easily seen in in the second 3 by 3 diagonal formulation where CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1)-ETA(3)), and V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2)-ETA(3)), so cov(log CL, log V) = var(ETA(3)) >0. Thus in the second diagonal 3-eta formulation, the log CL-log V correlation must be positive (or at least non-negative), while there is no such restriction on the full block 2-eta formulation. So in fact the 2-eta block formulation is more general. I think it is even worse than this – there appear to be some regions of the block 2 eta parameter space that do not have equivalents in the diagonal 3-eta space even when the correlations are positive. (For example, if log CL and log V are highly correlated, then the variance of ETA(3) must be very large relative to the variance of ETA(2) and ETA(1) in the 3-eta formulation. But this means the variance of ETA(1) and ETA(2) in an equivalent two eta formulation must be relatively similar and roughly equal to the variance of ETA(3) in the 3-eta formulation. So without working out the details, I think there are regions of the block 2-eta space corresponding to highly correlated log CL and log V but with very different log CL and log V variances that are unattainable in the 3-eta formulations. So in fact the second 3 eta diagonal formulation is fundamentally different and less general than the first 2eta block formulation. But this just means that if CL and V are correlated only thru the F11 bioavailability like mechanism posited in the 3-eta formulation, there are restrictions as to what the corresponding 2 by 2 full block omega matrix can looks like. This leaves open the interesting point – run it both ways, and then see if the 2 by 2 and 3 by 3 methods produce compatible Omegas. If not, then this might provide some evidence that the coupling is more complicated than just that posited in the 3 by 3 diagonal model But in any event, the EM methods are not well suited to the second case, and will be inefficient relative to the first case if indeed they work at all (which may depend on the particular implementation) One problem is that the EM update of THETA(1) in the second case depends on the means for the various subjects of the posterior distributions of both ETA(1) and ETA(3) – most EM implementations usually have one or possibly several fixed effects coupled to a single random effect, and the update of that fixed effect, at least in the simple mu-modeled case, comes from a simple linear regression of the associated fixed effects on the posterior means of the single random effect. The fact that now there are multiple random effects paired with a single fixed effect is unusual and may not in fact be handled (I am not sure what NONMEM IMPEM will do with this; I am pretty sure that the analogous Phoenix NLME QRPEM will reject it). Bob From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Nick Holford Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 1:43 PM To: 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Bob, You use an estimation method justification for choosing between estimating the covariance of CL and V and estimating the variance of F. An alternative view is to apply a fixed effect assumption based on pharmacokinetic theory. The fixed effect assumption is that some of the variation in CL and V is due to differences in bioavailability and other factors such as linear plasma protein binding and differences in the actual amount of drug in the oral formulation. This fixed effect assumption is described in the model by the variance of F. It is quite plausible to imagine that there is still some covariance between CL and V that is not related to the differences in F. For example, if you did not know the subject's weights and therefore could not account for the correlated effects of weight on CL and V. The estimation of the variance of F would only partly account for this because of the non-linear correlation of weight with CL and V. Another non-linear correlation would occur if plasma protein binding was non-linear in the range of measured total concentrations. In such case one might propose trying to estimate the covariance of CL and V as well as including F as a fixed effect and estimating the variance of F. Do you think that SAEM or IMP would be able to come up with a reasonable estimate of the covariance of CL and V? Best wishes, Nick
Hello Nele, You can try Ke, V2, K23 and K32 instead of Cl, Q, V2 and V3. It may mostly remove the correlation between V2 and Cl because Cl=V2*Ke. If F1 is not a parameter in your model and you give SC doses, it is the same. You have (Cl/F1) = (V2/F1)*Ke, i.e. your parameters are "apparent". So, using different parameterizations may help in both cases assuming that Ke and V2 are not correlated, of course. Unless there are physiological reasons for them to be correlated, which should be rare, the correlation between them may be a result of noise in a small datasets. Take care, Pavel
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On Tue, Nov 26, 2013 at 10:18 AM, Bob Leary wrote: Peiming – Thanks – you are right. The only constraint that the diagonal 3-eta parameterization parameterization places is that the covariance term of the block 2-eta Omega is non-negative. From: [email protected] [ mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of Peiming Ma Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 8:55 PM To: 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Dear Bob, The 3-eta parameterization really is mathematically equivalent to a 2-eta parameterization that has a non-negative covariance term. Here the 3-eta form is just two linear combinations of normal random variables, which form a bivariate normal with non-negative covariance. No other restrictions are there. Regards, Peiming From: [email protected] < mailto: [email protected] > [ mailto: [email protected] < mailto: [email protected] > ] On Behalf Of Bob Leary Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 5:09 AM To: Nick Holford; 'nmusers' Subject: RE: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Nick – I defer to you and the undoubtedly many other readers who know far more about pharmacokinetic theory than I do as to which particular formulation is more appropriate from a PK theoretic point of view. I was merely trying to note (and as I point out below, incorrectly) that something like the 2-eta formulation CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1))V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2)) Where ETA(1) and ETA(2) have a full 2 by 2 block correlation matrix so that correlation between ETA(1) and ETA(2) is Handled by an OMEGA(1,2) parameter Is ‘mathematically equivalent’ to a 3-eta formulation with a 3 by 3 diagonal Omega (ETA(1), ETA(2), ETA(3) independent) FF1=EXP(ETA(3))CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1))/FF1V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2))/FF1 (The fact that FF1 formally looks like a bioavailability is irrelevant here, since I was not really intending to make any specific comments or recommendations with respect to how best to deal with bioavailabilities) Now that I look at it a bit more closely, the formulations actually are not at all mathematically equivalent (the 2 by 2 block formulation is much more General than the 3 by 3 diagonal formulation, even though they have the same number of parameters). While all 3 by 3 diagonal Omegas have Equivalent 2 by 2 block Omegas, the reverse is clearly not true. This is most easily seen in in the second 3 by 3 diagonal formulation where CL=THETA(1)*EXP(ETA(1)-ETA(3)), and V=THETA(2)*EXP(ETA(2)-ETA(3)), so cov(log CL, log V) = var(ETA(3)) >0. Thus in the second diagonal 3-eta formulation, the log CL-log V correlation must be positive (or at least non-negative), while there is no such restriction on the full block 2-eta formulation. So in fact the 2-eta block formulation is more general. I think it is even worse than this – there appear to be some regions of the block 2 eta parameter space that do not have equivalents in the diagonal 3-eta space even when the correlations are positive. (For example, if log CL and log V are highly correlated, then the variance of ETA(3) must be very large relative to the variance of ETA(2) and ETA(1) in the 3-eta formulation. But this means the variance of ETA(1) and ETA(2) in an equivalent two eta formulation must be relatively similar and roughly equal to the variance of ETA(3) in the 3-eta formulation. So without working out the details, I think there are regions of the block 2-eta space corresponding to highly correlated log CL and log V but with very different log CL and log V variances that are unattainable in the 3-eta formulations. So in fact the second 3 eta diagonal formulation is fundamentally different and less general than the first 2eta block formulation. But this just means that if CL and V are correlated only thru the F11 bioavailability like mechanism posited in the 3-eta formulation, there are restrictions as to what the corresponding 2 by 2 full block omega matrix can looks like. This leaves open the interesting point – run it both ways, and then see if the 2 by 2 and 3 by 3 methods produce compatible Omegas. If not, then this might provide some evidence that the coupling is more complicated than just that posited in the 3 by 3 diagonal model But in any event, the EM methods are not well suited to the second case, and will be inefficient relative to the first case if indeed they work at all (which may depend on the particular implementation) One problem is that the EM update of THETA(1) in the second case depends on the means for the various subjects of the posterior distributions of both ETA(1) and ETA(3) – most EM implementations usually have one or possibly several fixed effects coupled to a single random effect, and the update of that fixed effect, at least in the simple mu-modeled case, comes from a simple linear regression of the associated fixed effects on the posterior means of the single random effect. The fact that now there are multiple random effects paired with a single fixed effect is unusual and may not in fact be handled (I am not sure what NONMEM IMPEM will do with this; I am pretty sure that the analogous Phoenix NLME QRPEM will reject it). Bob From: [email protected] < mailto: [email protected] > [ mailto: [email protected] < mailto: [email protected] > ] On Behalf Of Nick Holford Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 1:43 PM To: 'nmusers' Subject: Re: [NMusers] Getting rid of correlation issues between CL and volume parameters Bob, You use an estimation method justification for choosing between estimating the covariance of CL and V and estimating the variance of F. An alternative view is to apply a fixed effect assumption based on pharmacokinetic theory. The fixed effect assumption is that some of the variation in CL and V is due to differences in bioavailability and other factors such as linear plasma protein binding and differences in the actual amount of drug in the oral formulation. This fixed effect assumption is described in the model by the variance of F. It is quite plausible to imagine that there is still some covariance between CL and V that is not related to the differences in F. For example, if you did not know the subject's weights and therefore could not account for the correlated effects of weight on CL and V. The estimation of the variance of F would only partly account for this because of the non-linear correlation of weight with CL and V. Another non-linear correlation would occur if plasma protein binding was non-linear in the range of measured total concentrations. In such case one might propose trying to estimate the covariance of CL and V as well as including F as a fixed effect and estimating the variance of F. Do you think that SAEM or IMP would be able to come up with a reasonable estimate of the covariance of CL and V? Best wishes, Nick