Validation study methods for estimating odds ratio in 2 × 2 × J tables when exposure is misclassified.
BACKGROUND
Misclassification of exposure variables in epidemiologic studies may lead to biased estimation of parameters and loss of power in statistical inferences. In this paper, the inverse matrix method, as an efficient method of the correction of odds ratio for the misclassification of a binary exposure, was generalized to nondifferential misclassification and 2 × 2 × J tables.


METHODS
Simple estimates for predictive values when misclassification is nondifferential are presented. Using them, we estimated the corrected log odds ratio and its variance for 2 × 2 × J tables, using the inverse matrix method. A two-step weighted likelihood method was also developed. Moreover, we compared the matrix and inverse matrix methods to the maximum likelihood (MLE) method using a simulation study.


RESULTS
In all situations, the inverse matrix method proved to be more efficient than the matrix method. Matrix and inverse matrix methods for nondifferential situations are more efficient than differential misclassification.


CONCLUSIONS
Although MLE is optimal among all of the methods, it is computationally difficult and requires programming. On the other hand, the inverse matrix method with a simple closed-form presents acceptable efficiency.
Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 7134845794, Iran.
Bijan
B
Nouri
Department of Biostatistics, Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 7134845794, Iran.
Najaf
N
Zare
Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 7134845794, Iran.
Seyyed Mohammad Taghi
SM
Ayatollahi
D000465:Algorithms; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents