title: Estimating relative risk of a log-transformed exposure measured in pools.
abstract: Pooling biospecimens prior to performing laboratory assays is a useful tool to reduce costs, achieve minimum volume requirements and mitigate assay measurement error. When estimating the risk of a continuous, pooled exposure on a binary outcome, specialized statistical techniques are required. Current methods include a regression calibration approach, where the expectation of the individual-level exposure is calculated by adjusting the observed pooled measurement with additional covariate data. While this method employs a linear regression calibration model, we propose an alternative model that can accommodate log-linear relationships between the exposure and predictive covariates. The proposed model permits direct estimation of the relative risk associated with a log-transformation of an exposure measured in pools. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Emily M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Program in Reproductive and Adult Endocrinology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Torie C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Plowden
authors.affiliation: Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Enrique F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Schisterman
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D002138:Calibration; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: biomarkers; design; log-transformation; pooled specimens; regression calibration