Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28446497›Full record

ArticleThe American journal of clinical nutrition2017

Best (but oft-forgotten) practices: mediation analysis.

Amanda J Fairchild, Heather L McDaniel

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 170 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
170citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

170 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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110 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Amanda J FairchildDepartment of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC afairchi@mailbox.sc.edu.ORCID 0000-0001-8668-4658
Heather L McDanielDepartment of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

Funding

Mediation in survival and onset-to-growth models applied to youth substance onsetR01DA030349 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA · PI FAIRCHILD, AMANDA JANE · 2011 to 2013
$963k
NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA030349
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This contribution in the "Best (but Oft-Forgotten) Practices" series considers mediation analysis. A mediator (sometimes referred to as an intermediate variable, surrogate endpoint, or intermediate endpoint) is a third variable that explains how or why ≥2 other variables relate in a putative causal pathway. The current article discusses mediation analysis with the ultimate intention of helping nutrition researchers to clarify the rationale for examining mediation, avoid common pitfalls when using the model, and conduct well-informed analyses that can contribute to improving causal inference in evaluations of underlying mechanisms of effects on nutrition-related behavioral and health outcomes. We give specific attention to underevaluated limitations inherent in common approaches to mediation. In addition, we discuss how to conduct a power analysis for mediation models and offer an applied example to demonstrate mediation analysis. Finally, we provide an example write-up of mediation analysis results as a model for applied researchers.

Indexed as

BiomarkersModels, StatisticalNutritional SciencesResearchHumansBiomarkersindirect effectintermediate endpointinterventionmediationmediatorpower analysissurrogate endpoint

Identifiers

PMID28446497
PMCPMC5445681

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.