Potential for gene-gene confounding bias in case-parental control studies.
OBJECTIVE
To show the potential for gene-gene confounding bias in case-parental control studies.


METHODS
The authors quantify the magnitude of gene-gene confounding bias using simple mathematical equations. They also demonstrate the potential problems of such a bias with hypothetical (but realistic) examples.


RESULTS
The degree of bias resulting from gene-gene confounding was found to be quite substantial under certain conditions (two genes are very closely linked and/or the study was performed in a recently admixed population).


CONCLUSIONS
In this post-genomic era more and more encounters of the gene-gene confounding will be expected, if the one-gene-at-a-time approach continues to be adopted.
Lee
Wen-Chung
WC
Graduate Institute of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, Republic of China. wenchung@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
Ho
Yen-Yi
YY
D015982:Bias; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology