On Mon, Sep 15, 2008 at 10:17 AM, Cristian Baicus
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
A risk factor is always a causal factor, while a prognostic factor has only
to be associated with a prognosis, not necessary to cause it; it can be only
a "marker" of that prognosis (so it can be a ... confounder, too).
cristian baicus
dr. Cristian Baicus
Spitalul Colentina
Clinica de Medicina Interna
Sos. Stefan cel Mare 19-21
sect. 2
020125 BUCURESTI
Romania
Mobil: 0788302355
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----- Original Message ----- From: "Christian Lerch" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: Examples of risk factors vs prognostic factors
A common (?) view is that risk factors alter (usually increase) the probability of developing or aquiring a disease, while prognostic factors alter (usually increase) the probability of having an unfavourabale outcome of this disease: death, higher morbidity, more adverse effects, recurrence...
Some risk factors are also prognostic factors.
Examples:
Presence of BRCA1/2 is a risk factor because it increases the probability of developing breast cancer.
Higher number of affected lymph nodes is a prognostic factor because it increases the probability of having an unfavourable outcome (death).
Age might be both a risk and a prognostic factor.
HTH,
Christian
On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:55:56 -0400
"Feddern-Bekcan, Tanya" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hello, everyone. Could you please give me some examples of risk factors
and prognostic factors and how to differentiate between the two? For
example, having the breast cancer gene, having a family history of
breast cancer, being a heavy smoker, etc. This is for PICO-writing.
Thank you,
Tanya
Tanya Feddern-Bekcan, MLIS, AHIP, MOT, OTR/L
http://www.geocities.com/nqiya/libraryarticles.html
<http://www.geocities.com/nqiya/libraryarticles.html> formerly Tanya
Feddern
305.243.6648 - [log in to unmask] - 305.325.9670 (fax) EBM Theme
Co-Director & Reference and Education Librarian Louis Calder Memorial
Library - University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
"A library without a librarian is a reading room."-- Jenny Garcia of the
University of Wyoming, MLS, AHIP
dr. Cristian Baicus
Spitalul Colentina
Clinica de Medicina Interna
Sos. Stefan cel Mare 19-21
sect. 2
020125 BUCURESTI
Romania
Mobil: 0788302355
[log in to unmask]
www.baicus.ro