论文标题
混杂因素：目标和方法
Confounder Selection: Objectives and Approaches
论文作者
论文摘要
混杂因素可能是观察研究设计中最重要的一步。已经提出了许多具有不同目标和方法的标准，并且在文献中已经辩论了它们的有效性和实际价值。在这里，我们对这些标准及其背后的假设提供了统一的审查。我们列出了几个目标，使选择方法旨在实现和讨论不同方法所需的结构知识的数量。最后，我们讨论了现有方法的局限性以及对从业者的影响。
Confounder selection is perhaps the most important step in the design of observational studies. A number of criteria, often with different objectives and approaches, have been proposed, and their validity and practical value have been debated in the literature. Here, we provide a unified review of these criteria and the assumptions behind them. We list several objectives that confounder selection methods aim to achieve and discuss the amount of structural knowledge required by different approaches. Finally, we discuss limitations of the existing approaches and implications for practitioners.
