Propensity score matching: a conceptual review for radiology researchers.
The propensity score is defined as the probability of each individual study subject being assigned to a group of interest for comparison purposes. Propensity score adjustment is a method of ensuring an even distribution of confounders between groups, thereby increasing between group comparability. Propensity score analysis is therefore an increasingly applied statistical method in observational studies. The purpose of this article was to provide a step-by-step nonmathematical conceptual guide to propensity score analysis with particular emphasis on propensity score matching. A software program code used for propensity score matching was also presented.
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
Seunghee
S
Baek
Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
Seong Ho
SH
Park
Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Eugene
E
Won
Office of Clinical Research Information, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
Yu Rang
YR
Park
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 138-736, Korea. ; Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
Hwa Jung
HJ
Kim
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057216:Propensity Score; D011871:Radiology / Q000379:methods*; D012107:Research Design; D012108:Research Personnel; D012984:Software
Indication bias; Matching; Observational study; Propensity score