Practical and analytical aspects of using friend controls in case-control studies: experience from a case-control study of childhood cancer
Practical and analytical aspects of using friend controls in case-control studies: experience from a case-control study of childhood cancer
复制标题
DOI：
10.1111/j.1365-3016.2011.01210.x
复制
发表时间：
2011-09-01
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
Mitra, Nandita
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bunin, Greta R.;Vardhanabhuti, Saran;Mitra, Nandita
我们报告了使用朋友对照的经验数据，特别是反应率、病例对照一致性和分析方法。这些数据来自2002年至2007年进行的一项北美多机构儿童癌症研究，该研究主要关注父亲的暴露情况。父母指定朋友作为潜在控制者；每个病例最多有三个对照组参与。199个病例家庭中有137个（69%）至少有一位对照父母参与。在联系的374名潜在对照者中，247人（66%）参与了调查。与没有对照的病例父亲相比，对照的病例父亲明显更有可能是非西班牙裔白人、大学毕业生和不吸烟者。根据人口统计学特征调整后的优势比在仅包括匹配组成员的分析和包括所有参与者的分析（即对照组和有对照组和没有对照组的病例）之间大致相似，但偶尔会有所不同。对于人口统计学特征，模拟表明，在匹配集内观察到的病例和对照的一致性超过了随机确定下的预期，表明可能存在过度匹配。然而，观察到的吸烟和其他暴露的一致性与随机确定下的预期相似，表明暴露几乎没有过度匹配。虽然不理想，但朋友控制是方便的，有相当高的回复率，并提供了与种族/民族，教育和年龄密切匹配的控制。
We report empirical data on the use of friend controls, specifically response rates, case-control concordance and analytical approaches. The data derive from a North American multi-institutional study of childhood cancer that was conducted in 2002-07 and that focused on paternal exposures. Case parents nominated friends as potential controls; up to three controls participated per case. For 137 (69%) of the 199 case families, at least one control parent participated. Of 374 potential controls contacted, 247 (66%) participated. Case fathers with controls were markedly more likely to be non-Hispanic White, college graduates and non-smokers compared with case fathers without controls. Odds ratios adjusted for demographic characteristics were generally similar but occasionally differed between analyses that included only members of matched sets and those that included all participants, i.e. controls and cases with and without controls. For demographic characteristics, simulations demonstrated that the observed concordance of cases and controls within matched sets exceeded that expected under random ascertainment, indicating probable overmatching. However, the observed concordance of smoking and other exposures was similar to the expectation under random ascertainment, suggesting little overmatching on exposures. Although not ideal, friend controls were convenient, had a reasonably high response rate and provided controls closely matched on race/ethnicity, education and age.