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Mortality associated with foodborne bacterial gastrointestinal infections : Statistical method is worth examining

BMJ 2003; 326 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7401.1265 (Published 05 June 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;326:1265
  1. Louis Anthony Cox, Jr, president
  1. Cox Associates, 503 Franklin Street, Denver, CO 80218, USA

    EDITOR—Helms et al report a significant association between common foodborne infections, including campylobacteriosis, and increased short term and long term mortality.1 As this conflicts with conventional clinical wisdom,2 it is worth scrutinising the statistical method supporting the claim.

    Helms et al compare ill cases with healthier (general population) controls by using a comorbidity index to adjust for the fact that underlying conditions were more common …

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