title: Genetic dissection methods: designs used for tests of gene-environment interaction.
abstract: Given recent advances in the field of molecular genetics, many have recognized the need to exploit either study designs or analytical methods to test hypotheses with gene-by-environment (G x E) interactions. The partial-collection designs, including case-only, partial case-control, and case-parent trio designs, have been suggested as attractive alternatives to the complete case-control design both for increased statistical efficiency and reduced data needs. However, common problems in genetic epidemiology studies, such as, presence of G x E correlation in the population, population mixture, and genotyping error may reduce the validity of these designs. On the basis of previous simulation studies and empirical data and given the potential limitations and uncertainty of assumptions of partial-collection designs, the case-control design is the optimal choice versus partial-collection designs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143-0560, USA.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M Daniele
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Fallin
authors.forename: W H Linda
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004777:Environment; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology / Q000379:methods*; D012107:Research Design