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Quasi-Least Squares With Mixed Linear Correlation Structures, Jichun Xie, Justine Shults, Jon Peet, Dwight Stambolian, Mary F. Cotch

UPenn Biostatistics Working Papers

Quasi-least squares (QLS) is a two-stage computational approach for estimation of the correlation parameters in the framework of generalized estimating equations (GEE). We prove two general results for the class of mixed linear correlation structures: namely, that the stage one QLS estimate of the correlation parameter always exists and is feasible (yields a positive definite estimated correlation matrix) for any correlation structure, while the stage two estimator exists and is unique (and therefore consistent) with probability one, for the class of mixed linear correlation structures. Our general results justify the implementation of QLS for particular members of the class of …