Saito T, Saito I, Nanri S, Furukawa T
Division of Environmental Epidemiology, National Children's Medical Research Center, Tokyo, Japan.
J Epidemiol. 1998 Jun;8(2):99-105. doi: 10.2188/jea.8.99.
The purpose of this study was to call attention to a potential bias or misclassification resulting from disregarding sex and age of family members in assessing family history of hypertension. Family history of hypertension was obtained among 23,803 family members through a questionnaire survey of 2,316 high school students. From the obtained data sex- and age-specific proportion of a positive history of hypertension was calculated. The effects of sex and age on a positive history was assessed by the logistic regression analysis of the family history. Below age 70 the odds ratios for sex difference were at least 1.24 (p < 0.05) and odds ratios for age difference were at least 1.05 (p < 0.05). This indicated that below age 70 male members had a positive history at least 1.24 times more frequently than females of the same age, and that a positive history increased by at least (1.05)y, where y was age difference by year. Above age 70 the odds ratios for sex and age differences were small. A potential bias or misclassification resulting from sex and age difference can be substantial below age 70. Some measures to control for sex and age of family members are required in assessing the family history.
本研究的目的是提醒人们注意，在评估高血压家族史时，忽视家庭成员的性别和年龄可能导致潜在的偏差或错误分类。通过对2316名高中生进行问卷调查，在23803名家庭成员中获取了高血压家族史。根据所得数据，计算了按性别和年龄划分的高血压阳性家族史比例。通过对家族史进行逻辑回归分析，评估性别和年龄对阳性家族史的影响。在70岁以下，性别差异的比值比至少为1.24（p<0.05），年龄差异的比值比至少为1.05（p<0.05）。这表明，在70岁以下，男性成员的阳性家族史频率至少是同龄女性的1.24倍，且阳性家族史至少以（1.05）y的幅度增加，其中y为年龄差（以年为单位）。在70岁以上，性别和年龄差异的比值比很小。在70岁以下，性别和年龄差异可能导致的潜在偏差或错误分类可能相当大。在评估家族史时，需要采取一些措施来控制家庭成员的性别和年龄。
