case-control study

Introduction

A study that compares past exposures in patients with & without disease.

Indications

• useful for studying rare diseases or exposures

Notes

• retrospective studies where cases & controls are questioned about past exposures are susceptible to recall bias
• the hierachy of evidence for observational studies is:
  • case series < case control study < cohort study < meta-analysis of cohort studies

More general terms

• observational study

More specific terms

• Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF)