Εffect measure modification and confounding in applied medical research
Journal Title: Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής - Year 2005, Vol 22, Issue 2
Abstract
The term "effect measure modification" was introduced by Miettinen and should be distinguished from the term "statistical interaction". The term "statistical interaction" is used to refer to a departure from the underlying form of a statistical model. However the term "statistical interaction" does not have explicit implication because there are various statistical models (additive, multiplicative and other). In epidemiology the term "effect measure modification" is used instead of the term "statistical interaction". Εffect measure modification is said to occur when the magnitude of the association between one variable and another differs according to the level of a third variable. For example, obesity increases the risk for breast cancer in postmenopausal but not premenopausal women. In this way the presence or absence of menopause modifies the effect of obesity on breast cancer. Thus menopausal status is a modifier of the effect of obesity on breast cancer. The modifier is the characteristic of individual that modifies the effect of an exposure on the incidence of disease. In this way the modifier is the characteristic that modifies the relation between exposure and disease. Εffect measure modification should be distinguished from confounding which is defined as a distortion in an effect measure introduced by an extraneous variable, occurring only in the context of a particular study. Confounding is not a characteristic of each variable. Confounding in a study is a systematic error (bias) that the investigator should locate and eliminate in order for results of the study to be valid, whereas effect measure modification is a finding to be reported rather than a bias to be avoided.
Authors and Affiliations
P. GALANIS, L. SPAROS
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP144438
- DOI -
- Views 88
- Downloads 0
Integrons τάξης 1 σε εντεροβακτηριακά από κτηνοτροφική μονάδα,<br /> νοσοκομειακούς και εξωνοσοκομειακούς ασθενείς <br /> <br />
ΣΚΟΠΟΣ Τα integrons τάξης 1 είναι δομές DNA που έχουν τη δυνατότητα να ενσωματώνουν γονιδιακές κασέτες αντοχής και να συντελούν στην έκφρασή τους. Η παρούσα μελέτη είχε ως σκοπό την ανίχνευση και τη σύγκριση των integron...
Φυτοοιστρογόνα και υγεία<br />
Juvenile spondyloarthritis: The criteria that do not unravel the problem of a complicated diagnosis
Spondyloarthritis (SpA) encompasses a group of inflammatory joint diseases with overlapping features that accounts for up to 15–20% of cases of arthritis in children. In children, SpA at onset is often undifferentiated a...
Diagnosis documentation and prognostic classification of myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms by molecular techniques
The earlier (2001) and current (2008) WHO classification of "tumours of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues" use all available information (cytomorphology, immunophenotype, genetic features, clinical features) to define t...
Air pollution as a cause of asthma in children – A review
Bronchial asthma is a very common chronic disease in childhood. It is responsible for the majority of children's medical consultations, and is the most common cause of hospitalization of children and of school absenteeis...