A flexible matching strategy for matched nested case-control studies.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Individual matching in case-control studies improves statistical efficiency over random selection of controls but can lead to selection bias if cases are excluded due to the lack of appropriate controls or residual confounding with less strict matching criteria. We introduce flex matching, an algorithm using multiple rounds of control selection with successively relaxed matching criteria to select controls for cases.

Methods

We simulated exposure-disease relationships in multiple cohort data sets with a range of confounding scenarios and conducted 16,800,000 nested case-control studies, comparing random selection of controls, strict matching, and flex matching. We computed average bias and statistical efficiency in estimates of exposure-disease relationships under ea

SUBMITTER: Ratanatharathorn A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10538416 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature