title: Confounding Effect in Clinical Research of Otolaryngology and Its Control.
abstract: Confounding effect is a critical issue in clinical research of otolaryngology because it can distort the research's conclusion. In this review, we introduce the definition of confounding effect, the methods of verifying and controlling the effect. Confounding effect can be prevented by research's design, and adjusted by data analysis. Clinicians would be aware and cautious about confounding effect in their research. They would be able to set up a research's design in which appropriate methods have been applied to prevent this effect.They would know how to adjust confounding effect after data collection. It is important to remember that sometimes it is impossible to eliminate confounding effect completely, and statistical method is not a master key. Solid research knowledge and critical thinking of our brain are the most important in controlling confounding effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada.
authors.forename: Yong-qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Clinical Division of Surgery, General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Dong-yan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Armijo Olivo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
authors.forename: Huai-an
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada.
authors.forename: Yagesh
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bambanini
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Pediatrics, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sonnenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Pediatrics, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Institute for Reconstructive Science in Medicine, Edmonton, AB T5R 4H5, Canada.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Constantinescu
authors.affiliation: Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R6, Canada.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qian Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4, Canada;Department of Audiology, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada;Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D006801:Humans; D010036:Otolaryngology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012107:Research Design; D013223:Statistics as Topic