ATTRIBUTABLE RISK RATIO ESTIMATION FROM MATCHED-PAIRS CASE-CONTROL DATA

Abstract
Explicit formulas are provided for estimating the attributable risk ratio among the exposed and the entire target population utilizing matched-pairs data. Large-sample standard errors and corresponding confidence intervals are provided. These estimates can be obtained from the Cross-classification frequencies of matched pairs by disease and exposure status in the usual 2 × 2 table. The key to the development of these formulas lies in recognizing that attributable risk among the exposed is a direct function of the odds ratio, and population attributable risk is a direct function of the odds ratio and exposure prevalence among only the cases (assuming a rare disease). The formulas presented in this paper require only a calculator for computation. The methodology is illustrated with data from a matched-pairs case-control study of oral conjugated estrogens and endometrial cancer.