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Adineh HA, Hoseini K, Zareban I, Jalali A, Nazemipour M, Mansournia MA. Comparison of outcomes between off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery using collaborative targeted maximum likelihood estimation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11373. [PMID: 38762564 PMCID: PMC11102550 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61846-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
There are some discrepancies about the superiority of the off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery over the conventional cardiopulmonary bypass (on-pump). The aim of this study was estimating risk ratio of mortality in the off-pump coronary bypass compared with the on-pump using a causal model known as collaborative targeted maximum likelihood estimation (C-TMLE). The data of the Tehran Heart Cohort study from 2007 to 2020 was used. A collaborative targeted maximum likelihood estimation and targeted maximum likelihood estimation, and propensity score (PS) adjustment methods were used to estimate causal risk ratio adjusting for the minimum sufficient set of confounders, and the results were compared. Among 24,883 participants (73.6% male), 5566 patients died during an average of 8.2 years of follow-up. The risk ratio estimates (95% confidence intervals) by unadjusted log-binomial regression model, PS adjustment, TMLE, and C-TMLE methods were 0.86 (0.78-0.95), 0.88 (0.80-0.97), 0.88 (0.80-0.97), and 0.87(0.85-0.89), respectively. This study provides evidence for a protective effect of off-pump surgery on mortality risk for up to 8 years in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Ali Adineh
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kaveh Hoseini
- Tehran Heart Center, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cardiac Primary Prevention Research Center, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iraj Zareban
- Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Arash Jalali
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Tehran Heart Center, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Khodamoradi F, Nazemipour M, Mansournia N, Yazdani K, Khalili D, Arshadi M, Etminan M, Mansournia MA. The effect of smoking on latent hazard classes of metabolic syndrome using latent class causal analysis method in the Iranian population. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2058. [PMID: 37864179 PMCID: PMC10588163 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16863-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing worldwide. Clinical guidelines consider metabolic syndrome as an all or none medical condition. One proposed method for classifying metabolic syndrome is latent class analysis (LCA). One approach to causal inference in LCA is using propensity score (PS) methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the causal effect of smoking on latent hazard classes of metabolic syndrome using the method of latent class causal analysis. METHODS In this study, we used data from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Cohort Study (TLGS). 4857 participants aged over 20 years with complete information on exposure (smoking) and confounders in the third phase (2005-2008) were included. Metabolic syndrome was evaluated as outcome and latent variable in LCA in the data of the fifth phase (2014-2015). The step-by-step procedure for conducting causal inference in LCA included: (1) PS estimation and evaluation of overlap, (2) calculation of inverse probability-of-treatment weighting (IPTW), (3) PS matching, (4) evaluating balance of confounding variables between exposure groups, and (5) conducting LCA using the weighted or matched data set. RESULTS Based on the results of IPTW which compared the low, medium and high risk classes of metabolic syndrome (compared to a class without metabolic syndrome), no association was found between smoking and the metabolic syndrome latent classes. PS matching which compared low and moderate risk classes compared to class without metabolic syndrome, showed that smoking increases the probability of being in the low-risk class of metabolic syndrome (OR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.32, 3.63). In the unadjusted analysis, smoking increased the chances of being in the low-risk (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.08) and moderate-risk (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.18, 2.40) classes of metabolic syndrome compared to the class without metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS Based on the results, the causal effect of smoking on latent hazard classes of metabolic syndrome can be different based on the type of PS method. In adjusted analysis, no relationship was observed between smoking and moderate-risk and high-risk classes of metabolic syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzad Khodamoradi
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, PO Box: 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nasrin Mansournia
- Department of Endocrinology, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kamran Yazdani
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, PO Box: 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Khalili
- Prevention of Metabolic Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maedeh Arshadi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mahyar Etminan
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Medicine and Pharmacology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, PO Box: 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran.
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Malekifar P, Nedjat S, Abdollahpour I, Nazemipour M, Malekifar S, Mansournia MA. Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Multiple Sclerosis Using Model-based Standardization and Misclassification Adjustment Via Probabilistic Bias Analysis. ARCHIVES OF IRANIAN MEDICINE 2023; 26:567-574. [PMID: 38310413 PMCID: PMC10862089 DOI: 10.34172/aim.2023.83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) is still not well-demonstrated, and assessment of some risk factors like alcohol consumption has problems like confounding and measurement bias. To determine the causal effect of alcohol consumption on MS after adjusting for alcohol consumption misclassification bias and confounders. METHODS In a population-based incident case-control study, 547 patients with MS and 1057 healthy people were recruited. A minimally sufficient adjustment set of confounders was derived using the causal directed acyclic graph. The probabilistic bias analysis method (PBAM) using beta, logit-logistic, and triangular probability distributions for sensitivity/specificity to adjust for misclassification bias in self-reporting alcohol consumption and model-based standardization (MBS) to estimate the causal effect of alcohol consumption were used. Population attributable fraction (PAF) estimates with 95% Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis (MCSA) intervals were calculated using PBAM and MBS analysis. Bootstrap was used to deal with random errors. RESULTS The adjusted risk ratio (95% MCSA interval) from the probabilistic bias analysis and MBS between alcohol consumption and MS using the three distribution was in the range of 1.93 (1.07 to 4.07) to 2.02 (1.15 to 4.69). The risk difference (RD) in all three scenarios was 0.0001 (0.0000 to 0.0005) and PAF was in the range of 0.15 (0.010 to 0.50) to 0.17 (0.001 to 0.47). CONCLUSION After adjusting for measurement bias, confounding, and random error alcohol consumption had a positive causal effect on the incidence of MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooneh Malekifar
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saharnaz Nedjat
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ibrahim Abdollahpour
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Malekifar
- Department of Computer Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Shakiba M, Nazemipour M, Mansournia N, Mansournia MA. Protective effect of intensive glucose lowering therapy on all-cause mortality, adjusted for treatment switching using G-estimation method, the ACCORD trial. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5833. [PMID: 37037931 PMCID: PMC10086045 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32855-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous analysis of the action to control cardiovascular risk in diabetes showed an increased risk of mortality among patients receiving intensive glucose lowering therapy using conventional regression method with intention to treat approach. This method is biased when time-varying confounder is affected by the previous treatment. We used 15 follow-up visits of ACCORD trial to compare the effect of time-varying intensive vs. standard treatment of glucose lowering drugs on cardiovascular and mortality outcomes in diabetic patients. The treatment effect was estimated using G-estimation and compared with accelerated failure time model using two modeling strategies. The first model adjusted for baseline confounders and the second adjusted for both baseline and time-varying confounders. While the hazard ratio of all-cause mortality for intensive compared to standard therapy in AFT model adjusted for baseline confounders was 1.17 (95% CI 1.01-1.36), the result of time-dependent AFT model was compatible with both protective and risk effects. However, the hazard ratio estimated by G-estimation was 0.64 (95% CI 0.39-0.92). The results of this study revealed a protective effect of intensive therapy on all-cause mortality compared with standard therapy in ACCORD trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Shakiba
- Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, PO Box: 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nasrin Mansournia
- Department of Endocrinology, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, PO Box: 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran.
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Montcho Y, Klingler P, Lokonon BE, Tovissodé CF, Glèlè Kakaï R, Wolkewitz M. Intensity and lag-time of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 dynamics in German hospitals. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1087580. [PMID: 36950092 PMCID: PMC10025539 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1087580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Evaluating the potential effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 dynamics is challenging and controversially discussed in the literature. The reasons are manifold, and some of them are as follows. First, interventions are strongly correlated, making a specific contribution difficult to disentangle; second, time trends (including SARS-CoV-2 variants, vaccination coverage and seasonality) influence the potential effects; third, interventions influence the different populations and dynamics with a time delay. Methods In this article, we apply a distributed lag linear model on COVID-19 data from Germany from January 2020 to June 2022 to study intensity and lag time effects on the number of hospital patients and the number of prevalent intensive care patients diagnosed with polymerase chain reaction tests. We further discuss how the findings depend on the complexity of accounting for the seasonal trends. Results and discussion Our findings show that the first reducing effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions on the number of prevalent intensive care patients before vaccination can be expected not before a time lag of 5 days; the main effect is after a time lag of 10-15 days. In general, we denote that the number of hospital and prevalent intensive care patients decrease with an increase in the overall non-pharmaceutical interventions intensity with a time lag of 9 and 10 days. Finally, we emphasize a clear interpretation of the findings noting that a causal conclusion is challenging due to the lack of a suitable experimental study design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette Montcho
- Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d'Estimations Forestières, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Yvette Montcho
| | - Paul Klingler
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Enagnon Lokonon
- Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d'Estimations Forestières, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Romain Glèlè Kakaï
- Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d'Estimations Forestières, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Martin Wolkewitz
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Mansournia MA, Nazemipour M, Etminan M. A practical guide to handling competing events in etiologic time-to-event studies. GLOBAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 4:100080. [PMID: 37637022 PMCID: PMC10446108 DOI: 10.1016/j.gloepi.2022.100080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Competing events are events that preclude the occurrence of the primary outcome. Much has been written on mainly the statistics behind competing events analyses. However, many of these publications and tutorials have a strong statistical tone and might fall short in providing a practical guide to clinician researchers as to when to use a competing event analysis and more importantly which method to use and why. Here we discuss the different target effects in the Fine-Gray and cause-specific methods using simple causal diagrams and provide strengths and limitations of both approaches for addressing etiologic questions. We argue why the Fine-Gray method might not be the best approach for handling competing events in etiological time-to-event studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahyar Etminan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medicine and Pharmacology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Koohi F, Khalili D, Soori H, Nazemipour M, Mansournia MA. Longitudinal effects of lipid indices on incident cardiovascular diseases adjusting for time-varying confounding using marginal structural models: 25 years follow-up of two US cohort studies. GLOBAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 4:100075. [PMID: 37637024 PMCID: PMC10445971 DOI: 10.1016/j.gloepi.2022.100075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study assesses the effect of blood lipid indices and lipid ratios on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) using inverse probability-of-exposure weighted estimation of marginal structural models (MSMs). Methods A pooled dataset of two US representative cohort studies, including 16736 participants aged 42-84 years with complete information at baseline, was used. The effect of each lipid index, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), ratios of TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, and TG/HDL-C on coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke were estimated using weighted Cox regression. Results There were 1638 cases of CHD and 1017 cases of stroke during a median follow-up of 17.1 years (interquartile range: 8.5 to 25.7). Compared to optimal levels, the risk of CVD outcomes increased substantially in high levels of TC, LDL-C, TC/HDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C. If everyone had always had high levels of TC (≥240 mg/dL), risk of CHD would have been 2.15 times higher, and risk of stroke 1.35 times higher than if they had always had optimal levels (<200 mg/dL). Moreover, if all participants had been kept at very high (≥190 mg/dL) levels of LDL-C, risk of CHD would have been 2.62 times higher and risk of stroke would have been 1.92 times higher than if all participants had been kept at optimal levels, respectively. Our results suggest that high levels of HDL-C may be protective for CHD, but not for stroke. There was also no evidence of an adverse effect of high triglyceride levels on stroke. Conclusions Using MSM, this study highlights the effect of TC and LDL-C on CVD, with a stronger effect on CHD than on stroke. There was no evidence for a protective effect of high levels of HDL-C on stroke. Besides, triglyceride was not found to affect stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Koohi
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Obesity Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Khalili
- Prevention of Metabolic Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Soori
- Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Osteoporosis Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Jafarzadeh SR, Neogi T, White DK, Felson DT. The Relationship of Pain Reduction With Prevention of Knee Replacement Under Dynamic Intervention Strategies. Arthritis Rheumatol 2022; 74:1668-1675. [PMID: 35726122 PMCID: PMC9529798 DOI: 10.1002/art.42272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Knee replacement (KR) rates are increasing exponentially in the US and straining insurance budgets. This study was undertaken to investigate how many KRs would be prevented at different levels of pain improvement, a major target of osteoarthritis (OA) trials. METHODS We used data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) to emulate a trial of knee pain interventions on KR risk changes. We modeled hypothetical 1-, 2- or 3-unit reductions of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale whenever a person reported a pain score of ≥5 (of 20) in an affected knee at any clinic visit. We used causal inference-based targeted learning to estimate treatment effects for hypothesized pain intervention strategies adjusted for time-dependent confounding. Sensitivity analyses assessed interventions at WOMAC pain scores of ≥4 and ≥7. RESULTS Of the 9,592 knees studied (n = 4,796 participants; 58.5% female; baseline age 61.2 years), 40.7% experienced WOMAC pain scores of ≥5. The estimated knee-level (reference) risk of a KR, adjusted for loss to follow-up and death, was 6.3% (95% confidence interval 5.0, 7.7%) in the OAI. Reductions of WOMAC pain scores by 1, 2, or 3 units decreased the KR risk from 6.3% to 5.8%, 5.3%, and 4.9%, respectively. Larger reductions in KR risk were achieved when interventions were applied at a WOMAC pain score of ≥4. CONCLUSION Modest pain reductions from OA interventions would substantially reduce the number of KRs, with greater reductions achieved when pain decreased more and when interventions were introduced at lower pain levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Reza Jafarzadeh
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
| | - Tuhina Neogi
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
| | | | - David T. Felson
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
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Longitudinal causal effect of modified creatinine index on all-cause mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease: Accounting for time-varying confounders using G-estimation. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272212. [PMID: 35984783 PMCID: PMC9390931 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Standard regression modeling may cause biased effect estimates in the presence of time-varying confounders affected by prior exposure. This study aimed to quantify the relationship between declining in modified creatinine index (MCI), as a surrogate marker of lean body mass, and mortality among end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients using G-estimation accounting appropriately for time-varying confounders. Methods A retrospective cohort of all registered ESRD patients (n = 553) was constructed over 8 years from 2011 to 2019, from 3 hemodialysis centers at Kerman, southeast of Iran. According to changes in MCI, patients were dichotomized to either the decline group or no-decline group. Subsequently the effect of interest was estimated using G-estimation and compared with accelerated failure time (AFT) Weibull models using two modelling strategies. Results Standard models demonstrated survival time ratios of 0.91 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.64 to 1.28) and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.58 to 1.23) in patients in the decline MCI group compared to those in no-decline MCI group. This effect was demonstrated to be 0.57 (-95% CI: 0.21 to 0.81) using G-estimation. Conclusion Declining in MCI increases mortality in patients with ESRD using G-estimation, while the AFT standard models yield biased effect estimate toward the null.
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Gilsanz P, Young JG, Glymour MM, Tchetgen Tchetgen EJ, Eng CW, Koenen KC, Kubzansky LD. Marginal Structural Models for Life-Course Theories and Social Epidemiology: Definitions, Sources of Bias, and Simulated Illustrations. Am J Epidemiol 2022; 191:349-359. [PMID: 34668974 PMCID: PMC8897994 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Social epidemiology aims to identify social structural risk factors, thus informing targets and timing of interventions. Ascertaining which interventions will be most effective and when they should be implemented is challenging because social conditions vary across the life course and are subject to time-varying confounding. Marginal structural models (MSMs) may be useful but can present unique challenges when studying social epidemiologic exposures over the life course. We describe selected MSMs corresponding to common theoretical life-course models and identify key issues for consideration related to time-varying confounding and late study enrollment. Using simulated data mimicking a cohort study evaluating the effects of depression in early, mid-, and late life on late-life stroke risk, we examined whether and when specific study characteristics and analytical strategies may induce bias. In the context of time-varying confounding, inverse-probability-weighted estimation of correctly specified MSMs accurately estimated the target causal effects, while conventional regression models showed significant bias. When no measure of early-life depression was available, neither MSMs nor conventional models were unbiased, due to confounding by early-life depression. To inform interventions, researchers need to identify timing of effects and consider whether missing data regarding exposures earlier in life may lead to biased estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Gilsanz
- Correspondence to Dr. Paola Gilsanz, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612 (e-mail: )
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Mansournia MA, Collins GS, Nielsen RO, Nazemipour M, Jewell NP, Altman DG, Campbell MJ. A CHecklist for statistical Assessment of Medical Papers (the CHAMP statement): explanation and elaboration. Br J Sports Med 2021; 55:1009-1017. [PMID: 33514558 PMCID: PMC9110112 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Misuse of statistics in medical and sports science research is common and may lead to detrimental consequences to healthcare. Many authors, editors and peer reviewers of medical papers will not have expert knowledge of statistics or may be unconvinced about the importance of applying correct statistics in medical research. Although there are guidelines on reporting statistics in medical papers, a checklist on the more general and commonly seen aspects of statistics to assess when peer-reviewing an article is needed. In this article, we propose a CHecklist for statistical Assessment of Medical Papers (CHAMP) comprising 30 items related to the design and conduct, data analysis, reporting and presentation, and interpretation of a research paper. While CHAMP is primarily aimed at editors and peer reviewers during the statistical assessment of a medical paper, we believe it will serve as a useful reference to improve authors' and readers' practice in their use of statistics in medical research. We strongly encourage editors and peer reviewers to consult CHAMP when assessing manuscripts for potential publication. Authors also may apply CHAMP to ensure the validity of their statistical approach and reporting of medical research, and readers may consider using CHAMP to enhance their statistical assessment of a paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gary S Collins
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Rasmus Oestergaard Nielsen
- Department of Public Health, Section for Sports Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nicholas P Jewell
- Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Douglas G Altman
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Abdollahpour I, Nedjat S, Almasi-Hashiani A, Nazemipour M, Mansournia MA, Luque-Fernandez MA. Estimating the Marginal Causal Effect and Potential Impact of Waterpipe Smoking on Risk of Multiple Sclerosis Using the Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation Method: A Large, Population-Based Incident Case-Control Study. Am J Epidemiol 2021; 190:1332-1340. [PMID: 33576427 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
There are few if any reports regarding the role of lifetime waterpipe smoking in the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). In a population-based incident case-control study conducted in Tehran, Iran, we investigated the association between waterpipe smoking and MS, adjusted for confounders. Cases (n = 547) were patients aged 15-50 years identified from the Iranian Multiple Sclerosis Society between 2013 and 2015. Population-based controls (n = 1,057) were persons aged 15-50 years recruited through random digit telephone dialing. A doubly robust estimation method, the targeted maximum likelihood estimator (TMLE), was used to estimate the marginal risk ratio and odds ratio for the association between waterpipe smoking and MS. The estimated risk ratio and odds ratio were both 1.70 (95% confidence interval: 1.34, 2.17). The population attributable fraction was 21.4% (95% confidence interval: 4.0, 38.8). Subject to the limitations of case-control studies in interpreting associations causally, these results suggest that waterpipe use, or strongly related but undetermined factors, increases the risk of MS. Further epidemiologic studies, including nested case-control studies, are needed to confirm these findings.
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13
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Etminan M, Brophy JM, Collins G, Nazemipour M, Mansournia MA. To Adjust or Not to Adjust: The Role of Different Covariates in Cardiovascular Observational Studies. Am Heart J 2021; 237:62-67. [PMID: 33722586 DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2021.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Covariate adjustment is integral to the validity of observational studies assessing causal effects. It is common practice to adjust for as many variables as possible in observational studies in the hopes of reducing confounding by other variables. However, indiscriminate adjustment for variables using standard regression models may actually lead to biased estimates. In this paper, we differentiate between confounders, mediators, colliders, and effect modifiers. We will discuss that while confounders should be adjusted for in the analysis, one should be wary of adjusting for colliders. Mediators should not be adjusted for when examining the total effect of an exposure on an outcome. Automated statistical programs should not be used to decide which variables to include in causal models. Using a case scenario in cardiology, we will demonstrate how to identify confounders, colliders, mediators and effect modifiers and the implications of adjustment or non-adjustment for each of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahyar Etminan
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Medicine and Pharmacology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
| | - James M Brophy
- Department of Epidemiology and Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Gary Collins
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Osteoporosis Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Almasi-Hashiani A, Nedjat S, Ghiasvand R, Safiri S, Nazemipour M, Mansournia N, Mansournia MA. The causal effect and impact of reproductive factors on breast cancer using super learner and targeted maximum likelihood estimation: a case-control study in Fars Province, Iran. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1219. [PMID: 34167500 PMCID: PMC8228908 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11307-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The relationship between reproductive factors and breast cancer (BC) risk has been investigated in previous studies. Considering the discrepancies in the results, the aim of this study was to estimate the causal effect of reproductive factors on BC risk in a case-control study using the double robust approach of targeted maximum likelihood estimation. METHODS This is a causal reanalysis of a case-control study done between 2005 and 2008 in Shiraz, Iran, in which 787 confirmed BC cases and 928 controls were enrolled. Targeted maximum likelihood estimation along with super Learner were used to analyze the data, and risk ratio (RR), risk difference (RD), andpopulation attributable fraction (PAF) were reported. RESULTS Our findings did not support parity and age at the first pregnancy as risk factors for BC. The risk of BC was higher among postmenopausal women (RR = 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (2.3, 4.6)), women with the age at first marriage ≥20 years (RR = 1.6, 95% CI = (1.3, 2.1)), and the history of oral contraceptive (OC) use (RR = 1.6, 95% CI = (1.3, 2.1)) or breastfeeding duration ≤60 months (RR = 1.8, 95% CI = (1.3, 2.5)). The PAF for menopause status, breastfeeding duration, and OC use were 40.3% (95% CI = 39.5, 40.6), 27.3% (95% CI = 23.1, 30.8) and 24.4% (95% CI = 10.5, 35.5), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Postmenopausal women, and women with a higher age at first marriage, shorter duration of breastfeeding, and history of OC use are at the higher risk of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Almasi-Hashiani
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
- Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Saharnaz Nedjat
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Knowledge Utilization Research Center, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Ghiasvand
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Saeid Safiri
- Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Osteoporosis Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nasrin Mansournia
- Department of Endocrinology, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O Box: 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
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15
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Aryaie M, Sharifi H, Saber A, Nazemipour M, Mansournia MA. Longitudinal Causal Effects of Normalized Protein Catabolic Rate on All-Cause Mortality in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease: Adjusting for Time-Varying Confounders Using the G-Estimation Method. Am J Epidemiol 2021; 190:1133-1141. [PMID: 33350437 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaa281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to estimate the causal effect of normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) on mortality among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients in the presence of time-varying confounding affected by prior exposure using g-estimation. Information about 553 ESRD patients was retrospectively collected over an 8-year period (2011-2019) from hemodialysis facilities in Kerman, Iran. nPCR was dichotomized as <1.2 g/kg/day versus ≥1.2 g/kg/day. Then a standard time-varying accelerated failure time (AFT) Weibull model was built, and results were compared with those generated by g-estimation. After appropriate adjustment for time-varying confounders, weighted g-estimation yielded 78% shorter survival time (95% confidence interval (95% CI): -81, -73) among patients with a continuous nPCR <1.2 g/kg/day than among those who had nPCR ≥1.2 g/kg/day during follow-up, though it was 18% (95% CI: -57, 54) in the Weibull model. Moreover, hazard ratio estimates of 4.56 (95% CI: 3.69, 5.37) and 1.20 (95% CI: 0.66, 2.17) were obtained via weighted g-estimation and the Weibull model, respectively. G-estimation indicated that inadequate dietary protein intake characterized by nPCR increases all-cause mortality among ESRD patients, but the Weibull model provided an effect estimate that was substantially biased toward the null.
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Naimi AI, Perkins NJ, Sjaarda LA, Mumford SL, Platt RW, Silver RM, Schisterman EF. The Effect of Preconception-Initiated Low-Dose Aspirin on Human Chorionic Gonadotropin-Detected Pregnancy, Pregnancy Loss, and Live Birth : Per Protocol Analysis of a Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med 2021; 174:595-601. [PMID: 33493011 PMCID: PMC9109822 DOI: 10.7326/m20-0469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A previous large randomized trial indicated that preconception-initiated low-dose aspirin (LDA) therapy did not have a positive effect on pregnancy outcomes. However, this trial was subject to nonadherence, which was not taken into account by the intention-to-treat approach. OBJECTIVE To estimate per protocol effects of preconception-initiated LDA on pregnancy loss and live birth. DESIGN The EAGeR (Effects of Aspirin on Gestation and Reproduction) trial was used to construct a prospective cohort for a post hoc analysis. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00467363). SETTING 4 university medical centers in the United States. PARTICIPANTS 1227 women between the ages of 18 and 40 years who had 1 or 2 previous pregnancy losses and were attempting pregnancy. MEASUREMENTS Adherence to LDA or placebo, assessed by measuring pill bottle weights at regular intervals during follow-up. Primary outcomes were human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-detected pregnancies, pregnancy losses, and live births, determined by pregnancy tests and medical records. RESULTS Relative to placebo, adhering to LDA for 5 of 7 days per week led to 8 more hCG-detected pregnancies (95% CI, 4.64 to 10.96 pregnancies), 15 more live births (CI, 7.65 to 21.15 births), and 6 fewer pregnancy losses (CI, -12.00 to -0.20 losses) for every 100 women in the trial. In addition, compared with placebo, postconception initiation of LDA therapy led to a reduction in the estimated effects. Furthermore, effects were obtained in a minimum of 4 of 7 days per week. LIMITATION The EAGeR trial data for this study were analyzed as observational data, thus are subject to the limitations of prospective observational studies. CONCLUSION Per protocol results suggest that preconception use of LDA at least 4 days per week may improve reproductive outcomes for women who have had 1 or 2 pregnancy losses. Increasing adherence to daily LDA seems to be key to improving effectiveness. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE National Institutes of Health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Neil J. Perkins
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Lindsey A. Sjaarda
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sunni L. Mumford
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Robert W. Platt
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University
| | - Robert M. Silver
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Enrique F. Schisterman
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
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17
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Navadeh S, Mirzazadeh A, McFarland W, Coffin P, Chehrazi M, Mohammad K, Nazemipour M, Mansournia MA, McCandless LC, Page K. Unsafe Injection Is Associated with Higher HIV Testing after Bayesian Adjustment for Unmeasured Confounding. ARCHIVES OF IRANIAN MEDICINE 2020; 23:848-855. [PMID: 33356343 PMCID: PMC9844981 DOI: 10.34172/aim.2020.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To apply a novel method to adjust for HIV knowledge as an unmeasured confounder for the effect of unsafe injection on future HIV testing. METHODS The data were collected from 601 HIV-negative persons who inject drugs (PWID) from a cohort in San Francisco. The panel-data generalized estimating equations (GEE) technique was used to estimate the adjusted risk ratio (RR) for the effect of unsafe injection on not being tested (NBT) for HIV. Expert opinion quantified the bias parameters to adjust for insufficient knowledge about HIV transmission as an unmeasured confounder using Bayesian bias analysis. RESULTS Expert opinion estimated that 2.5%-40.0% of PWID with unsafe injection had insufficient HIV knowledge; whereas 1.0%-20.0% who practiced safe injection had insufficient knowledge. Experts also estimated the RR for the association between insufficient knowledge and NBT for HIV as 1.1-5.0. The RR estimate for the association between unsafe injection and NBT for HIV, adjusted for measured confounders, was 0.96 (95% confidence interval: 0.89,1.03). However, the RR estimate decreased to 0.82 (95% credible interval: 0.64, 0.99) after adjusting for insufficient knowledge as an unmeasured confounder. CONCLUSION Our Bayesian approach that uses expert opinion to adjust for unmeasured confounders revealed that PWID who practice unsafe injection are more likely to be tested for HIV - an association that was not seen by conventional analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soodabeh Navadeh
- Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA,HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ali Mirzazadeh
- Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Willi McFarland
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA,San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Phillip Coffin
- San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA,Division of HIV, ID, and Global Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mohammad Chehrazi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kazem Mohammad
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Corresponding Author: Mohammad Ali Mansournia; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sci-i ences, PO Box: 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran. Tel: +98-21-88989123; Fax: +98-21-88989127;
| | | | - Kimberly Page
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Preventive Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
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18
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Madden JM, Leacy FP, Zgaga L, Bennett K. Fitting Marginal Structural and G-Estimation Models Under Complex Treatment Patterns: Investigating the Association Between De Novo Vitamin D Supplement Use After Breast Cancer Diagnosis and All-Cause Mortality Using Linked Pharmacy Claim and Registry Data. Am J Epidemiol 2020; 189:224-234. [PMID: 31673702 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwz243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have shown that accounting for time-varying confounding through time-dependent Cox proportional hazards models may provide biased estimates of the causal effect of treatment when the confounder is also a mediator. We explore 2 alternative approaches to addressing this problem while examining the association between vitamin D supplementation initiated after breast cancer diagnosis and all-cause mortality. Women aged 50-80 years were identified in the National Cancer Registry Ireland (n = 5,417) between 2001 and 2011. Vitamin D use was identified from linked prescription data (n = 2,570). We sought to account for the time-varying nature of vitamin D use and time-varying confounding by bisphosphonate use using 1) marginal structural models (MSMs) and 2) G-estimation of structural nested accelerated failure-time models (SNAFTMs). Using standard adjusted Cox proportional hazards models, we found a reduction in all-cause mortality in de novo vitamin D users compared with nonusers (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73, 0.99). Additional adjustment for vitamin D and bisphosphonate use in the previous month reduced the hazard ratio (HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.33, 0.63). Results derived from MSMs (HR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.61) and SNAFTMs (HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.52) were similar. Utilizing MSMs and SNAFTMs to account for time-varying bisphosphonate use did not alter conclusions in this example.
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Mokhayeri Y, Hashemi-Nazari SS, Khodakarim S, Safiri S, Mansournia N, Mansournia MA, Kaufman JS, Naimi AI. Effects of Hypothetical Interventions on Ischemic Stroke Using Parametric G-Formula. Stroke 2019; 50:3286-3288. [DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.119.025749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Background and Purpose—
Standard analytic approaches (eg, logistic regression) fail to adequately control for time-dependent confounding and, therefore, may yield biased estimates of the total effect of the exposure on the outcome. In the present study, we estimate the effect of body mass index, intentional physical activity, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, hypertension, and cigarette smoking on the 11-year risk of ischemic stroke by sex using the parametric g-formula to control time-dependent confounders.
Methods—
Using data from the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), we followed 6809 men and women aged 45 to 84 years. We estimated the risk of stroke under 6 hypothetical interventions: maintaining body mass index <25 kg/m
2
, maintaining normotension (systolic blood pressure <140 and diastolic <90 mm Hg), quitting smoking, maintaining HDL >1.55 mmol/L, maintaining LDL <3.11 mmol/L, and exercising at least 210 minutes per week. The effects of joint hypothetical interventions were also simulated.
Results—
In men, the 11-year risk of ischemic stroke would be reduced by 85% (95% CI, 66–96) for all 6 hypothetical interventions. In women, this same effect was estimated as 55% (95% CI, 6–82).
Conclusions—
The hypothetical interventions explored in our study resulted in risk reduction in both men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaser Mokhayeri
- From the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Nutrition, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran (Y.M.)
| | - Seyed Saeed Hashemi-Nazari
- Department of Epidemiology, Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center (S.S.H.-N.), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Soheila Khodakarim
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (S.K.), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeid Safiri
- Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran (S.S.)
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran (S.S.)
| | - Nasrin Mansournia
- Department of Endocrinology, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (N.M.)
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (M.A.M.)
| | - Jay S. Kaufman
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, CA (J.S.K.)
| | - Ashley I. Naimi
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh PA (A.I.N.)
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20
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Banack HR, Bea JW, Kaufman JS, Stokes A, Kroenke CH, Stefanick ML, Beresford SA, Bird CE, Garcia L, Wallace R, Wild RA, Caan B, Wactawski-Wende J. The Effects of Reverse Causality and Selective Attrition on the Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Mortality in Postmenopausal Women. Am J Epidemiol 2019; 188:1838-1848. [PMID: 31274146 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwz160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Concerns about reverse causality and selection bias complicate the interpretation of studies of body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight (kg)/height (m)2) and mortality in older adults. The objective of this study was to investigate methodological explanations for the apparent attenuation of obesity-related risks in older adults. We used data from 68,132 participants in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial for this analysis. All of the participants were postmenopausal women aged 50-79 years at baseline (1993-1998). To examine reverse causality and selective attrition, we compared rate ratios from inverse probability of treatment- and censoring-weighted Poisson marginal structural models with results from an unweighted adjusted Poisson regression model. The estimated mortality rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals for BMIs of 30.0-34.9, 35.0-39.9 and ≥40.0 were 0.86 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 0.96), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.99), and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.72, 1.07), respectively, in the unweighted model. The corresponding mortality rate ratios were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.86, 1.07), 1.12 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.29), and 1.31 95% CI: (1.08, 1.57), respectively, in the marginal structural model. Results from the inverse probability of treatment- and censoring-weighted marginal structural model were attenuated in low BMI categories and increased in high BMI categories. The results demonstrate the importance of accounting for reverse causality and selective attrition in studies of older adults.
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