Second-order estimating equations for the analysis of clustered current status data.

With clustered event time data, interest most often lies in marginal features such as quantiles or probabilities from the marginal event time distribution or covariate effects on marginal hazard functions. Copula models offer a convenient framework for modeling. We present methods of estimating the baseline marginal distributions, covariate effects, and association parameters for clustered current status data based on second-order generalized estimating equations. We examine the efficiency gains realized from using second-order estimating equations compared with first-order equations, issues of copula misspecification, and apply the methods to motivating studies including one on the incidence of joint damage in patients with psoriatic arthritis.