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Qin X. Sample size and power calculations for causal mediation analysis: A Tutorial and Shiny App. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:1738-1769. [PMID: 37231326 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02118-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
When designing a study for causal mediation analysis, it is crucial to conduct a power analysis to determine the sample size required to detect the causal mediation effects with sufficient power. However, the development of power analysis methods for causal mediation analysis has lagged far behind. To fill the knowledge gap, I proposed a simulation-based method and an easy-to-use web application ( https://xuqin.shinyapps.io/CausalMediationPowerAnalysis/ ) for power and sample size calculations for regression-based causal mediation analysis. By repeatedly drawing samples of a specific size from a population predefined with hypothesized models and parameter values, the method calculates the power to detect a causal mediation effect based on the proportion of the replications with a significant test result. The Monte Carlo confidence interval method is used for testing so that the sampling distributions of causal effect estimates are allowed to be asymmetric, and the power analysis runs faster than if the bootstrapping method is adopted. This also guarantees that the proposed power analysis tool is compatible with the widely used R package for causal mediation analysis, mediation, which is built upon the same estimation and inference method. In addition, users can determine the sample size required for achieving sufficient power based on power values calculated from a range of sample sizes. The method is applicable to a randomized or nonrandomized treatment, a mediator, and an outcome that can be either binary or continuous. I also provided sample size suggestions under various scenarios and a detailed guideline of app implementation to facilitate study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Qin
- Department of Health and Human Development at the School of Education, University of Pittsburgh, 5312 Wesley W. Posvar Hall, 230 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
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Cashin AG, Lee H, Wand BM, Bagg MK, O'Hagan ET, Rizzo RRN, Stanton TR, Moseley GL, McAuley JH. Mechanisms of education and graded sensorimotor retraining in people with chronic low back pain: a mediation analysis. Pain 2023; 164:2792-2800. [PMID: 37366598 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT An improved understanding of the biopsychosocial influences that contribute to and maintain pain has promoted the development of new efficacious treatments for chronic low back pain (CLBP). This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of a new treatment-education and graded sensorimotor retraining-on pain and disability. We conducted a preplanned causal mediation analysis of a randomized clinical trial which allocated 276 participants with CLBP to 12 weekly clinical sessions of education and graded sensorimotor retraining (n = 138) or a sham and attention control (n = 138). Outcomes were pain intensity and disability, both assessed at 18 weeks. Hypothesized mediators included tactile acuity, motor coordination, back self-perception, beliefs about the consequences of back pain, kinesiophobia, pain self-efficacy, and pain catastrophizing, all assessed at the end of treatment (12 weeks). Four of 7 mechanisms (57%) mediated the intervention effect on pain; the largest mediated effects were for beliefs about back pain consequences (-0.96 [-1.47 to -0.64]), pain catastrophizing (-0.49 [-0.61 to -0.24]), and pain self-efficacy (-0.37 [-0.66 to -0.22]). Five of 7 mechanisms (71%) mediated the intervention effect on disability; the largest mediated effects were for beliefs about back pain consequences (-1.66 [-2.62 to -0.87]), pain catastrophizing (-1.06 [-1.79 to -0.53]), and pain self-efficacy (-0.84 [-1.89 to -0.45]). When all 7 mechanisms were considered simultaneously, the joint mediation effect explained most of the intervention effect for both pain and disability. Optimizing interventions to target beliefs about the consequences of back pain, pain catastrophizing, and pain self-efficacy is likely to lead to improved outcomes for people with CLBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan G Cashin
- Centre for Pain IMPACT (Investigating Mechanisms of Pain to Advance Clinical Translation), Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hopin Lee
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Benedict M Wand
- Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery and Health Sciences, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Australia
| | - Matthew K Bagg
- Centre for Pain IMPACT (Investigating Mechanisms of Pain to Advance Clinical Translation), Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Australia
| | - Edel T O'Hagan
- Centre for Pain IMPACT (Investigating Mechanisms of Pain to Advance Clinical Translation), Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
- Westmead Applied Research Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rodrigo R N Rizzo
- Centre for Pain IMPACT (Investigating Mechanisms of Pain to Advance Clinical Translation), Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tasha R Stanton
- IIMPACT (Innovation, IMPlementation And Clinical Translation) in Health, University of South Australia, Kaurna Country, Adelaide, Australia
| | - G Lorimer Moseley
- IIMPACT (Innovation, IMPlementation And Clinical Translation) in Health, University of South Australia, Kaurna Country, Adelaide, Australia
| | - James H McAuley
- Centre for Pain IMPACT (Investigating Mechanisms of Pain to Advance Clinical Translation), Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Hotta GH, Alaiti RK, Ribeiro DC, McQuade KJ, de Oliveira AS. Causal mechanisms of a scapular stabilization intervention for patients with subacromial pain syndrome: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Arch Physiother 2022; 12:13. [PMID: 35642020 PMCID: PMC9158354 DOI: 10.1186/s40945-022-00138-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Causal mediation analysis is one way to bridge this gap by exploring the causal pathways of a given intervention. The aim of this study was to assess whether scapular motion, position, and periscapular muscle strength are mediators for pain and shoulder disability outcomes following a scapular stabilization intervention for patients with subacromial pain syndrome. Methods Sixty patients were randomized into two groups: scapular stabilization or periscapular strengthening exercises. The intervention consisted of three sessions per week for 8 weeks. The primary outcome measures were pain and disability and the following outcome measures were considered as potential mediators: scapular motion, scapular position, periscapular muscle strength, age, duration of symptoms, and side of the complaint. A model-based inference approach with bootstrap simulations was used to estimate the average causal mediation effect, average direct effect, and the average total effect from the data of a randomized clinical trial that evaluated the effect of adding scapular stabilization exercises to a scapulothoracic strengthening program in people with subacromial pain syndrome. Results The results demonstrated that none of the putative mediators were influenced by the intervention. However, muscle strength of serratus anterior, upper, middle, and lower trapezius muscles was associated with shoulder disability. Conclusion Scapular kinematic and periscapular muscle strength did not mediate the effect of scapular stabilization exercises on shoulder pain or disability scores in subjects with subacromial pain syndrome. Muscle strength of serratus anterior, upper, middle and lower trapezius were associated with shoulder disability scores at 8-weeks follow-up. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40945-022-00138-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisele Harumi Hotta
- Health Sciences Department, School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Krasic Alaiti
- Nucleus of Neuroscience and Behavior and Nucleus of Applied Neuroscience, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel Cury Ribeiro
- University of Otago, Centre for Health, Activity, and Rehabilitation Research, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Kevin James McQuade
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Anamaria Siriani de Oliveira
- Health Sciences Department, School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. .,Prédio da Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Bairro Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil.
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Leake HB, Moseley GL, Stanton TR, Heathcote LC, Pate JW, Wewege MA, Lee H. Using Mediation Analysis to Understand How Treatments for Paediatric Pain Work: A Systematic Review and Recommendations for Future Research. CHILDREN-BASEL 2021; 8:children8020147. [PMID: 33669210 PMCID: PMC7919827 DOI: 10.3390/children8020147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Clinicians have an increasing number of evidence-based interventions to treat pain in youth. Mediation analysis offers a way of investigating how interventions work, by examining the extent to which an intermediate variable, or mediator, explains the effect of an intervention. This systematic review examined studies that used mediation analysis to investigate mechanisms of interventions on pain-relevant outcomes for youth (3–18 years) with acute or chronic pain, and provides recommendations for future mediation research in this field. We searched five electronic databases for clinical trials or observational longitudinal studies that included a comparison group and conducted mediation analyses of interventions on youth and assessed pain outcomes. We found six studies (N = 635), which included a total of 53 mediation models examining how interventions affect pain-relevant outcomes for youth. Five studies were secondary analyses of randomized controlled trials of psychological interventions for chronic pain; one was a longitudinal observational study of morphine for acute pain. The pain conditions studied were irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain, juvenile fibromyalgia, mixed chronic pain, and post-operative pain. Fourteen putative mediators were tested, of which three partially mediated treatment effect; seven did not significantly mediate treatment effect and four had mixed results. Methodological and reporting limitations were common. There are substantial gaps in the field with respect to investigating, and therefore understanding, how paediatric interventions work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley B. Leake
- IIMPACT in Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (G.L.M.); (T.R.S.)
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia;
- Correspondence:
| | - G. Lorimer Moseley
- IIMPACT in Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (G.L.M.); (T.R.S.)
| | - Tasha R. Stanton
- IIMPACT in Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (G.L.M.); (T.R.S.)
| | - Lauren C. Heathcote
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA;
| | - Joshua W. Pate
- Department of Physiotherapy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2008, Australia;
| | - Michael A. Wewege
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia;
- Department of Exercise Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Hopin Lee
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK;
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
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Rudolph KE, Goin DE, Stuart EA. Rudolph et al. Respond to "Power in Mediation Analysis". Am J Epidemiol 2020; 189:1571-1572. [PMID: 32415837 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaa082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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