title: Simple association analysis combining data from trios/sibships and unrelated controls.
abstract: We consider genetic association analysis that combines data from case-parent trios/sibships and unrelated controls. A general and simple methodology is proposed, using a weighted least-squares approach to combine separate information from the case-parent/case-sibling analysis and the case-unrelated control analysis. The new proposal improves over the existing methods in that it requires no assumptions and estimation on the mating-type distribution. Simulation results show that the new method competes well with the likelihood-based method when the latter is applicable, and achieves substantial power gains over separate analyses in general. Therefore, the proposed combined association analysis can enjoy wide applications, including the multiallele/locus, haplotype, and genome-wide association studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. yhchen@stat.sinica.edu.tw
authors.forename: Yi-Hau
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015894:Genome, Human; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008957:Models, Genetic; D015233:Models, Statistical