Confounder adjustment in observational studies investigating multiple risk factors: a methodological study
There is substantial variation in the methods for confounder adjustment among studies investigating multiple risk factors. Mutual adjustment was the most commonly adopted method, which might lead to overadjustment bias and misleading effect estimates. Future research should avoid indiscriminately including all risk factors in a multivariable model to prevent inappropriate adjustment.
Authors
- Yinyan Gao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0518-4166)
- Xinyin Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3772-2376)
- Jinlu Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0672-7713)
- Hang Yi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8202-8321)
- Boya Xu
- Dingkui Sun
- Guochao Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2011-4537)
- Linghui Xiang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4999-8834)
Institutions
- Central South University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMC Medicine
- Published
- 2025-03-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-03957-8
- Citations
- 25
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 65.75
Funders
- Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province