Table 4

Reporting of Patient Characteristics and Efforts to Assess and Control Confounding


Quinidine (Afib) (n = 6)
Trial of Labor (Breech) (n = 6)
Colposuspension 1 (Incontinence) (n = 6)
Colposuspension 2 (Incontinence) (n = 4)
Early Discharge (Childbirth) (n = 4)
Hip Screw (Hip Fx) (n = 5)
Local Anesthesia (CEA) (n = 11)
HSG (Infertility) (n = 6)

Patient Characterization*









A = 4
A = 3
A = 5
A = 3
A = 0
A = 3
A = 7
A = 1

B = 2
B = 3
B = 1
B = 1
B = 3
B = 1
B = 4
B = 3

C = 0
C = 0
C = 0
C = 0
C = 1
C = 1
C = 0
C = 0

D = 0
D = 0
D = 0
D = 0
D = 0
D = 0
D = 0
D = 2
Treatment Selection↖









A = 0
A = 0
A = 0
A = 0
A = 1
A = 1
A = 5
A = 3

B = 0
B = 0
B = 0
B = 0
B = 1
B = 0
B = 3
B = 0

C = 0
C = 6
C = 5
C = 4
C = 2
C = 0
C = 1
C = 1

D = 6
D = 0
D = 1
D = 0
D = 0
D = 4
D = 2
D = 2
Comparison of risk factors*









A = 0
A = 2
A = 5
A = 3
A = 0
A = 1
A = 5
A = 1

B = 3
B = 3
B = 1
B = 0
B = 3
B = 2
B = 6
B = 2

C = 0
C = 1
C = 0
C = 0
C = 1
C = 0
C = 0
C = 0

D = 3
D = 0
D = 0
D = 1
D = 0
D = 2
D = 0
D = 3
Statistical Adjustment‡








A
A = 0
A = 0
A = 0
A = 0
A = 1
A = 0
A = 1
A = 0
B
B = 1
B = 3
B = 1
B = 2
B = 0
B = 2
B = 0
B = 0
C
C = 5
C = 3
C = 5
C = 2
C = 3
C = 3
C = 10
C = 6

Afib = Atrial fibrillation

Hip Fx = Hip Fracture

CEA = Carotid Endarterectomy

HSG = Hysterosalpingography

* Characterizations or comparisons were given an 'A' if they included least one element in each of the following categories: demographics, medical history, and clinical assessment. They were given a 'B' if they included one medical history or clinical assessment variable, a 'C' if they included one demographic variable, and a 'D' if there were no characterization or comparisons.

↖ Treatment selection methods were given an 'A' if they probably reduced confounding, a 'B' if the effect on confounding was uncertain, a 'C' if confounding was probably increased, and a 'D' if they were not described.

† Statistical adjustment was given an 'A' for using multiple regression, 'B' for using stratification, and 'C' for no adjustment.

Hartz et al. Emerging Themes in Epidemiology 2005 2:8   doi:10.1186/1742-7622-2-8