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Abstract
Studies can be observational or experimental. With an observational study, the investigator does not determine the assignment of subjects, and there might not be a control group. If there is a control group, assignment of the independent variable (exposure or intervention) is not under the control of the investigator. Observational studies can be rigorously conducted, but the lack of random assignment of the exposure/intervention introduces confounding and bias. Thus, the quality of evidence resulting from observational studies is lower than that of experimental randomized controlled trials (RCTs). An observational study might be performed if an RCT is unethical, impractical, or outside the control of the investigator. There are many types of prospective and retrospective observational study designs. However, an observational study design should be avoided if an experimental study is possible. Sophisticated statistical approaches can be used, but this does not elevate an observational study to the level of an RCT. Regardless of quality, an observational study cannot establish causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean R Hess
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; and Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Zahid N, Enam SA, Urooj F, Martins RS, Mårtensson T, Mårtensson A, Mushtaq N, Kausar F, Moochhala M, Mughal MN, Altaf S, Kirmani S, Brown N. Socio-demographic and antenatal risk factors of brain tumor in children and young people: A matched case-control study from Karachi, Pakistan. J Public Health Res 2023; 12:22799036231197185. [PMID: 37700932 PMCID: PMC10493064 DOI: 10.1177/22799036231197185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Brain tumors are a common cause of morbidity, disability, cognitive deterioration and mortality in children, even after treatment. Little is know about the specific causes. The study aimed to assess potential socio-demographic and antenatal factors in primary brain tumor (PBTs) in children and young people (CYP) in Karachi, Pakistan. Designs and methods A single center hospital based matched case control study in Karachi, Pakistan. Cases were defined as CYP aged between 5 and 21 years with any histological type and grade of primary brain tumor of any histology, stage or grade. Data were collected from parents of 244 patients at the selected center between 2017 and 2021 via telephonic interview. Controls were 5-21 years old CYP admitted with non-oncological diagnoses matched on age and sex. Matched Odds Ratios for predictors of brain tumor in children were derived. Those of statistical significance were included in a multivariable logistic regression model. Results In the adjusted model, lower paternal education (matched adjusted odds ratio (maOR) 2.46; 95% CI 1.09-5.55), higher household monthly income (maOR 3.4; 95% CI 1.1-10.2), antenatal paternal use of addictive substances (maOR 19.5; 95% CI 2.1-179.8), and antenatal maternal use of analgesics during pregnancy (maOR 3.0; 95% CI 1.2-7.9) were all independently predictive of brain tumors. Conclusion This matched case-control study found novel associations between maternal use of analgesics, paternal use of addictive substances, higher household income, and lower paternal education and Primary Brain Tumors in Children and Young People. Longitudinal multicenter studies will be required to test these associations prospectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nida Zahid
- Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Syed Ather Enam
- Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Faiza Urooj
- Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Russell Seth Martins
- Center for Clinical Best Practices, Clinical and Translational Research Incubator, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Thomas Mårtensson
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andreas Mårtensson
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Naureen Mushtaq
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Faiza Kausar
- Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mariya Moochhala
- Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Sadaf Altaf
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Salman Kirmani
- Division of Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Nick Brown
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Pediatrics, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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Link-Gelles R, Westreich D, Aiello AE, Shang N, Weber DJ, Rosen JB, Motala T, Mascola L, Eason J, Scherzinger K, Holtzman C, Reingold AL, Barnes M, Petit S, Farley MM, Harrison LH, Zansky S, Thomas A, Schaffner W, McGee L, Whitney CG, Moore MR. Generalisability of vaccine effectiveness estimates: an analysis of cases included in a postlicensure evaluation of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the USA. BMJ Open 2017; 7:e017715. [PMID: 28851801 PMCID: PMC5724195 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES External validity, or generalisability, is the measure of how well results from a study pertain to individuals in the target population. We assessed generalisability, with respect to socioeconomic status, of estimates from a matched case-control study of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine effectiveness for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in children in the USA. DESIGN Matched case-control study. SETTING Thirteen active surveillance sites for invasive pneumococcal disease in the USA. PARTICIPANTS Cases were identified from active surveillance and controls were age and zip code matched. OUTCOME MEASURES Socioeconomic status was assessed at the individual level via parent interview (for enrolled individuals only) and birth certificate data (for both enrolled and unenrolled individuals) and at the neighbourhood level by geocoding to the census tract (for both enrolled and unenrolled individuals). Prediction models were used to determine if socioeconomic status was associated with enrolment. RESULTS We enrolled 54.6% of 1211 eligible cases and found a trend toward enrolled cases being more affluent than unenrolled cases. Enrolled cases were slightly more likely to have private insurance at birth (p=0.08) and have mothers with at least some college education (p<0.01). Enrolled cases also tended to come from more affluent census tracts. Despite these differences, our best predictive model for enrolment yielded a concordance statistic of only 0.703, indicating mediocre predictive value. Variables retained in the final model were assessed for effect measure modification, and none were found to be significant modifiers of vaccine effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that although enrolled cases are somewhat more affluent than unenrolled cases, our estimates are externally valid with respect to socioeconomic status. Our analysis provides evidence that this study design can yield valid estimates and the assessing generalisability of observational data is feasible, even when unenrolled individuals cannot be contacted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Link-Gelles
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Daniel Westreich
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Allison E Aiello
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nong Shang
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - David J Weber
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jennifer B Rosen
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Tasneem Motala
- County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Laurene Mascola
- County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jeffery Eason
- Bureau of Epidemiology, Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Karen Scherzinger
- Emerging Infections Program, Institute for Public Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | | | - Arthur L Reingold
- Department of Epidemiologia, California Emerging Infections Program, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Meghan Barnes
- Colorado Emerging Infections Program, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Susan Petit
- Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
| | - Monica M Farley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Infection Disease Section, Medical Specialty Care Service Line, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Lee H Harrison
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shelley Zansky
- New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Ann Thomas
- Oregon Public Health Division, Oregon Emerging Infections Program, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - William Schaffner
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lesley McGee
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Cynthia G Whitney
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Matthew R Moore
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Modi RA, McGwin G, Westfall AO, Powell DW, Burkholder GA, Raper JL, Willig JH. Venous thromboembolism among HIV-positive patients and anticoagulation clinic outcomes integrated within the HIV primary care setting. Int J STD AIDS 2014; 26:870-8. [PMID: 25414089 DOI: 10.1177/0956462414561033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) among a cohort of HIV-infected patients and to describe early outcomes of warfarin anticoagulation therapy treated in a pharmacist-based anticoagulation clinic (ACC). A nested case-control study was conducted using the University of Alabama at Birmingham 1917 HIV Clinic Cohort. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate factors associated with VTE. Among HIV-infected VTE cases, ACC-managed patients were compared to primary care provider (PCP)-managed patients to determine Time within Therapeutic INR Range (TTR). CD4 < 200 cells/µl (OR = 4.50; 95% CI = 1.52, 13.37; p = 0.007) and prior surgical procedures (13.20; 1.56; 111.4; p = 0.018) demonstrated positive associations with VTE, whereas longer HIV duration demonstrated a negative association (0.87; 0.78, 0.98; p = 0.019). TTR was 56.2% among ACC-managed patients compared to 30.5% of PCP-managed patients (p = 0.174). Overall, prior surgical procedures and low CD4 count were associated with an increased risk of VTE among HIV-infected patients. Despite small sample size, patients managed in ACC tend to achieve greater proportion of TTR compared to those managed by PCPs, suggesting that this model of therapy may provide additional benefits to HIV-infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riddhi A Modi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Gerald McGwin
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Deon W Powell
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Greer A Burkholder
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA University of Alabama School of Medicine (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - James L Raper
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA University of Alabama School of Medicine (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - James H Willig
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA University of Alabama School of Medicine (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
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