A case-cohort design for epidemiologic cohort studies and disease prevention trials

TLDR

Cohort studies follow individuals to relate failure rates to prior covariate histories. The authors propose a case‑cohort design that collects covariate data only for failures and a random subcohort. They present odds‑ratio and relative‑risk estimation procedures for the design and evaluate them in a small simulation comparing to full‑cohort and synthetic case‑control analyses. The design’s relevance to epidemiologic cohort studies and disease‑prevention trials is highlighted.

Abstract

Suppose that a cohort of individuals is to be followed in order to relate failure rates to preceding covariate histories. A design is proposed which involves covariate data only for cases experiencing failure and for members of a randomly selected ubcohort. Odds ratio and relative risk estimation procedures are presented for such a ‘case-cohort’ design. A small simulation study compares ease-cohort relative risk estimation procedures to full-cohort and synthetic case-control analyses. Relevance to epidemiologic cohort studies and disease prevention trials is discussed.