Moving beyond risk ratios in sibling analysis: estimating clinically useful measures from family-based analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Findings from family-based analyses, such as sibling comparisons, are often reported using only odds ratios or hazard ratios. We demonstrate how this can be improved upon by applying the marginalized between-within framework.

Study design and setting

We provide an overview of sibling comparison methods and the marginalized between-within framework, which enables estimation of absolute risks and clinically relevant metrics while accounting for shared familial confounding. We illustrate the approach using Swedish registry data to examine the association between maternal smoking and infant mortality, estimating absolute risk differences, average treatment effects, attributable fractions, and numbers needed to harm (or treat).

Results

The marginalized between-wi

SUBMITTER: Ahlqvist VH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12132141 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature