MPIDR Working Paper

A case-only approach for assessing gene-sex interaction in human longevity

Tan, Q., Yashin, A. I., Bladbjerg, E. M., De Maat, M. P. M., Andersen-Ranberg, K., Jeune, B., Christensen, K., Vaupel, J. W.
MPIDR Working Paper WP-2001-012
Rostock, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (May 2001)
Open Access

Abstract

As one aspect of the complex feature of longevity, gene-sex interaction plays an important role in influencing human life span. With advances in molecular genetics, more studies aimed at assessing gene-sex interaction are expected. New and valid statistical methods are needed. In this paper, we introduce a nontraditional approach, the case-only design, which was originally proposed for assessing gene and disease associations, to detect gene-sex interaction in human longevity. Applications of this method to data collected from centenarian studies show that it can produce consistent results as compared with results obtained from case-control and other approaches. Important features of the application in human longevity studies are highlighted and discussed. Since centenarians constitute a special population representing successful ageing, the easily applicable case-only approach will be an important tool for screening potential major genes that contribute to human longevity. (AUTHORS)
The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It's part of the Max Planck Society, the internationally renowned German research society.