ArticleBMC medical research methodology2020
An evaluation of inverse probability weighting using the propensity score for baseline covariate adjustment in smaller population randomised controlled trials with a continuous outcome.
Article in BMC medical research methodology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 45 papers.
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Who cites it
45 citing papers in PubMed, 76 citations in OpenAlex.
- Imaging Modality and Frequency in Surveillance of Stage I Seminoma Testicular Cancer: Results From a Randomized, Phase III, Noninferiority Trial (TRISST).Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2022Trial
- Planning a method for covariate adjustment in individually randomised trials: a practical guide.Trials · 2022Trial
- A randomised controlled trial to examine the effects of cinacalcet on bone and cardiovascular parameters in haemodialysis patients with advanced secondary hyperparathyroidism.BMC nephrology · 2021Trial
- Cannabinoid impacts on ethnic modulation of atrial septal defect prevalence USA.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2026Article
- Effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors on heart failure readmission in older patients with diabetes: A Japanese claims-based cohort study.Journal of diabetes investigation · 2026Article
- Effect of the Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative on VHA Clinician Turnover by Level of Program Engagement.The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association · 2026Article
- Poststroke epilepsy is associated with vascular cognitive disorder in young stroke patients: The ODYSSEY study.Epilepsia · 2026Article
- Use of Inverse Probability Weighting in Cardiovascular Surgical Outcomes Research: Principles, Limitations, and Recommendations.European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery · 2026Article
- Comparative Efficacy of Talquetamab vs. Real-World Physician's Choice of Treatment in Triple-Class-Exposed Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Updated Analyses of MonumenTAL-1 vs. LocoMMotion/MoMMent.Advances in therapy · 2026Article
- Individualized decitabine dosing for post-HSCT maintenance in MDS and secondary AML from MDS: long-term outcomes from the PODAC trial and matched controls.Therapeutic advances in hematology · 2026Article
- Bilirubin-Driven Phenotype Identifies Higher Mortality Risk in Severe Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis.Gastro hep advances · 2026Article
- Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy after percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage in acute cholecystitis is appropriate and safe: an inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis.European journal of medical research · 2025Article
- Relationship Difficulty Is Associated With Poorer Mental Health in Later Life.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2025Article
- Propensity score weighting.Nature methods · 2025Article
- Comment on: Rapid reduction in fracture risk after the discontinuation of long-term oral glucocorticoid therapy: a retrospective cohort study using a nationwide health insurance claims database in Japan.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2025Article
- Medically assisted integrated rehabilitation program for people with opioid dependence: a quasi-experimental evaluation using multi-criteria decision analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2024Article
- Article
- When does adjusting covariate under randomization help? A comparative study on current practices.BMC medical research methodology · 2024Article
- Comparison of outcomes of radical and partial nephrectomy for sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma: analysis of the national cancer database.World journal of urology · 2024Article
- Intra-aortic balloon pump for ST-elevation myocardial infarction necessitating urgent coronary artery bypass grafting, still a valid indication?Netherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIt is important to estimate the treatment effect of interest accurately and precisely within the analysis of randomised controlled trials. One way to increase precision in the estimate and thus improve the power for randomised trials with continuous outcomes is through adjustment for pre-specified prognostic baseline covariates. Typically covariate adjustment is conducted using regression analysis, however recently, Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (IPTW) using the propensity score has been proposed as an alternative method. For a continuous outcome it has been shown that the IPTW estimator has the same large sample statistical properties as that obtained via analysis of covariance. However the performance of IPTW has not been explored for smaller population trials (< 100 participants), where precise estimation of the treatment effect has potential for greater impact than in larger samples.
methodsIn this paper we explore the performance of the baseline adjusted treatment effect estimated using IPTW in smaller population trial settings. To do so we present a simulation study including a number of different trial scenarios with sample sizes ranging from 40 to 200 and adjustment for up to 6 covariates. We also re-analyse a paediatric eczema trial that includes 60 children.
resultsIn the simulation study the performance of the IPTW variance estimator was sub-optimal with smaller sample sizes. The coverage of 95% CI's was marginally below 95% for sample sizes < 150 and ≥ 100. For sample sizes < 100 the coverage of 95% CI's was always significantly below 95% for all covariate settings. The minimum coverage obtained with IPTW was 89% with n = 40. In comparison, regression adjustment always resulted in 95% coverage. The analysis of the eczema trial confirmed discrepancies between the IPTW and regression estimators in a real life small population setting.
conclusionsThe IPTW variance estimator does not perform so well with small samples. Thus we caution against the use of IPTW in small sample settings when the sample size is less than 150 and particularly when sample size < 100.
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