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      Sensitivity Analysis in Observational Research: Introducing the E-Value.

      1 , 1
      Annals of internal medicine
      American College of Physicians

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          Abstract

          Sensitivity analysis is useful in assessing how robust an association is to potential unmeasured or uncontrolled confounding. This article introduces a new measure called the "E-value," which is related to the evidence for causality in observational studies that are potentially subject to confounding. The E-value is defined as the minimum strength of association, on the risk ratio scale, that an unmeasured confounder would need to have with both the treatment and the outcome to fully explain away a specific treatment-outcome association, conditional on the measured covariates. A large E-value implies that considerable unmeasured confounding would be needed to explain away an effect estimate. A small E-value implies little unmeasured confounding would be needed to explain away an effect estimate. The authors propose that in all observational studies intended to produce evidence for causality, the E-value be reported or some other sensitivity analysis be used. They suggest calculating the E-value for both the observed association estimate (after adjustments for measured confounders) and the limit of the confidence interval closest to the null. If this were to become standard practice, the ability of the scientific community to assess evidence from observational studies would improve considerably, and ultimately, science would be strengthened.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Ann. Intern. Med.
          Annals of internal medicine
          American College of Physicians
          1539-3704
          0003-4819
          Aug 15 2017
          : 167
          : 4
          Affiliations
          [1 ] From Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, and University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California.
          Article
          2643434
          10.7326/M16-2607
          28693043
          d11e3866-6fd1-4f2b-ba1c-50e9c7406094
          History

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