Susceptibility scoring in family-based association testing

Authors

Laila M. Poisson, Henry Ford Health Sciences CenterFollow
Benjamin A. Rybicki, Henry Ford Health Sciences CenterFollow
Steven W. Coon, Henry Ford Health Sciences CenterFollow
Jill S. Barnholtz-Sloan, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Gary A. Chase, Penn State Hershey Medical CenterFollow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Abstract

Background

Family-based association testing is an important part of genetic epidemiology. Tests are available to include multiple siblings, unaffected offspring, and to adjust for environmental covariates. We explore a susceptibility residual method of adjustment for covariates.

Results

Through simulation, we show that environmental adjustments that down-weight persons who are "destined" to be affected decrease the power to detect genetic association. We used the residual adjusted method on the Framingham Heart Study offspring data, provided for Genetic Analysis Workshop 13, and got mixed results.

Conclusion

When the genetic effect and environmental effects are independent, a susceptibility residual method of adjustment for environmental covariates reduces the power of the association test. Further study is necessary to determine if residual adjustment is appropriate in more complex disease models.

Disciplines

Oncology

Recommended Citation

Poisson et al. BMC Genetics 2003, 4(Suppl 1):S49
doi:10.1186/1471-2156-4-S1-S49

Comments

The link provided within the document may not be working correctly. Please follow the doi link below to view the article on the publisher's website:
doi:10.1186/1471-2156-4-S1-S49