A plea to stop using the case-control design in retrospective database studies.

ABSTRACT: The case-control design is widely used in retrospective database studies, often leading to spectacular findings. However, results of these studies often cannot be replicated, and the advantage of this design over others is questionable. To demonstrate the shortcomings of applications of this design, we replicate two published case-control studies. The first investigates isotretinoin and ulcerative colitis using a simple case-control design. The second focuses on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and acute pancreatitis, using a nested case-control design. We include large sets of negative control exposures (where the true odds ratio is believed to be 1) in both studies. Both replication studies produce effect size estimates consistent with the original studies, but also generate estimates f

SUBMITTER: Schuemie MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6771795 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature