PREDICTING THE THERAPEUTIC OUTCOME OF A MEDICAL TREATMENT USING STATISTICAL INFERENCE MODELLING

摘要

In one embodiment, a method for determining a target set of variables is provided that is used to select an estimator of an effect of an input variable on an outcome among a family of estimators of an effect of an input variable on an outcome, where each estimator and its corresponding target effect is indexed by different candidate target adjustment sets of variables The method comprises determining a data set, the data set associated with a set of variables related to the input variable and outcome. A target adjustment set of variables is determined from the set of variables. The target adjustment set being variables that may be determined to be the largest set that still yields a reasonably unbiased estimator and reliable statistical inference for its target effect.