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Metabolic Confounding

Meaning

A significant methodological challenge in clinical and epidemiological research where the observed association between two variables, such as a specific hormone level and a disease outcome, is actually distorted or falsely attributed due to the influence of a third, unmeasured or inadequately controlled metabolic factor. This confounding variable is intricately linked to both the exposure and the outcome, making it difficult to isolate the true, independent effect of the hormone in question. Researchers must employ advanced statistical techniques to account for this common issue.