Treatment of continuous data as categoric variables in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Treatment of continuous data as categoric variables in Obstetrics and Gynecology
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DOI：
10.1016/s0029-7844(96)00504-2
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发表时间：
1997-03-01
影响因子：
7.2
通讯作者：
Lee, MJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
DelPriore, G;Zandieh, P;Lee, MJ
目的：评价连续资料在妇产科文献样本中的处理。方法：回顾1985-1995年前4个月发表的妇产科文献。结果：样本集包括1995年1~4月发表的102篇妇产科原始文献中的170个变量(A组，当代文献)和1985年1~4月期间发表的89篇文献中的117个变量(B组，历史文献)。A组有53个变量(占总变量的31%)和B组的27个变量(占总变量的23%)是连续预测变量(X_1(2)，P=0.05)。历史时期的文章(63%)比当代时期的文章(38%)更有可能将连续数据仅作为类别变量来表示(Fisher精确检验，P=.037)。在可能的情况下，当代的10篇文章(83%)和历史时期的4篇文章(31%)提供了相关系数，r值(Fisher精确检验，P=0.008)。在连续预测因子仅被视为类别变量的文章中，重点放在1995年的12篇文章中的4篇(33%)和1985年的13篇文章中的9篇(69%)(Fisher精确检验，P=0.05)。结论：在回顾的一段时间内，对连续数据的处理有所改善。然而，临床医生应该意识到，在一些期刊文章中，连续数据可能被错误地描述为类别变量。我们希望在未来，编辑人员将考虑为所有连续数据关系请求r值。应调查在患者护理中使用连续数据的离散截止值的护理质量影响。版权所有(C)1997，由美国妇产科医师学会所有。
Objective: To assess the treatment of continuous data in a sample of obstetric and gynecologic literature.Methods: We reviewed articles in Obstetrics and Gynecology published in the first 4 months of 1985 and 1995. Data were tabulated on a data form created specifically for this purpose and reviewed for accuracy.Results: The sample set included 170 variables in 102 original articles from Obstetrics and Gynecology published from January to April 1995, inclusive (group A, contemporary articles), and 117 variables in 89 articles published between January and April 1985, inclusive (group B, historic articles). Fifty-three variables (31% of total variables) in group A and 27 variables (23% of total variables) in group B (chi(2) P = .05) were continuous predictor variables. The historic-period articles (63%) were significantly more likely to represent continuous data only as categoric variables than were articles in the contemporary period (38%) (Fisher exact test, P = .037). Correlation coefficients, r values, were provided where possible in ten articles in the contemporary period (83%) and four articles in the historic period (31%) (Fisher exact test, P = .008). In articles in which continuous predictors were treated only as categoric variables, an emphasis was placed on the findings based only on categories in four of 12 (33%) of these articles in 1995 and nine of 13 (69%) in 1985 (Fisher exact test, P = .05).Conclusions: The treatment of continuous data has improved over the time period reviewed. However, clinicians should be aware that continuous data may be mischaracterized as categoric variables in some journal articles. We hope that in the future, editors will consider requesting r values for all continuous data relations. The quality-of-care implications of using discrete cutoffs of continuous data for patient care should be investigated. Copyright (C) 1997 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.