Case-Control Studies in Neurosurgery: The Issue of Effect Estimates

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Neurosurgical research methodology

Background:

• Case-control studies are frequently employed in clinical research due to their cost-effectiveness and feasibility.
• However, these studies present inherent challenges in execution, participant selection, and the interpretation of effect measures like odds ratios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the design and appropriate effect size measures for case-control studies.
• To provide neurosurgeons with a better understanding of these research methods.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of the relevant literature was performed.
• The discussion included future implementation and examples from neurosurgical practice.

Main Results:

• Case-control studies select participants based on outcome status (cases with the outcome, controls without).
• Control selection must ensure they originate from the same study base as cases.
• Different sampling strategies (traditional, case-cohort, incidence density) yield equivalent measures to cohort studies and are applicable to neurosurgical conditions like glioblastoma, aneurysms, and epilepsy.

Conclusions:

• Neurosurgeons need a thorough understanding of case-control study designs and their associated effect measures.
• This knowledge is essential for conducting rigorous research and integrating findings into clinical practice.