Dear statalist,
The headline of my question was cut short... Apologies. The question title should read : "Interpretating interaction effects in logistic regression".
I am investigating the role of comorbidities (measured as ASA-score, categorical 0-4) and age on mortality after surgery. It is well known that both age and comorbidities increase mortality risk. It is less known how the interaction between the two affect the risk. My hypothesis is that a healthy (ASA-score 1 or 2) 70-year old patient have a lower risk of mortality than a sick (ASA-score 3 or 4) 40 year old patient. In other words, I want to examine the interaction effect between age and ASA-score on mortality. I am struggling how to analyze and present this in a scientificially sound way as well as how to perform the actual analyses. My main concerns are the following (if I have understood the concept of interactions of logistic regression correctly):
My idea is the following (please comment if you think there is a better way):
Results:
Ok, I am terribly sorry for the long post. But I need to show the results.
Is the following a correct interpretation of the findings:
1. There is a significant interaction effect between age and ASA-score, but only between age and the highest ASA-score (ASA score >3, p = 0.016).
2. Looking at "margins results", there is a significant (none-zero) interaction effect between almost all combinations of age (categories of 5 years) and ASA-score. Those combinations that are none-significant ( _at: 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 57, 61) are younger patients with ASA-score ==1. The two last combinations (57 and 61) are really old patients with low ASA-score (very few fit these criterias).
How can point 1. and 2. above exist together? Is the results from the logistic regression an overall interaction effect? I.e. that there is a none-significant overall interaction effect when taking into acount the young patients with low ASA-score, who have a non-significant interaction effect. The lack of significance "overall" in lower categories of ASA-score in the logistic regression is explained by the young patients with low ASA-score?
Can someone help me interpret the results or possibly give suggestions how to perform a better interaction analysis?
All the best, and thank you for this forum.
/Jesper
The headline of my question was cut short... Apologies. The question title should read : "Interpretating interaction effects in logistic regression".
I am investigating the role of comorbidities (measured as ASA-score, categorical 0-4) and age on mortality after surgery. It is well known that both age and comorbidities increase mortality risk. It is less known how the interaction between the two affect the risk. My hypothesis is that a healthy (ASA-score 1 or 2) 70-year old patient have a lower risk of mortality than a sick (ASA-score 3 or 4) 40 year old patient. In other words, I want to examine the interaction effect between age and ASA-score on mortality. I am struggling how to analyze and present this in a scientificially sound way as well as how to perform the actual analyses. My main concerns are the following (if I have understood the concept of interactions of logistic regression correctly):
- Interactions (age and ASA in my example) in logistic regression is complicated, and the effect (size and significance) depends on the values of the ASA and Age.
- The size interaction effect also depends on the values of the other co-variates. I.e. a male, 50-year old patient with ASA 1 might have a significant interaction effect between age and ASA, but a female 50-year old patient with ASA 1 does not?
My idea is the following (please comment if you think there is a better way):
- Report that there is an "overall" significant interaction term between age (as continous variable) and ASA-score (categorized 1-4).
- Visualize the interactions between all combinations of age (in 5-year categories) and ASA (categorized 1-4) via marginsplot or a contour graph.
Code:
replace Age =95 if Age>95 & Age!=. logistic Mortality30Days c.Age##i.ASAScore i.Sex i.Income i.Education ib1.TypeOfSurgery_cat i.Hospsize_cat
Code:
[IMG]https://www.statalist.org/forums/core/0.9 StartHTML:0000000105 EndHTML:0000003645 StartFragment:0000000136 EndFragment:0000003612 <HTML><BODY>{C}<!--StartFragment--><TABLE BORDER><tr><td>Logistic regression</td><td>Number of obs</td><td>=</td><td>245,652</td></tr><tr><td> LR chi2(22)</td><td>=</td><td>2623.22</td></tr><tr><td> Prob > chi2</td><td>=</td><td>0.0000</td></tr><tr><td>Log likelihood = -6667.8113</td><td>Pseudo R2</td><td>=</td><td>0.1644</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Mortality30Days *Odds Ratio</td><td>Std. Err. * * *z</td><td> P>z * * [95% Conf.</td><td>Interval]</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Age * *1.108676</td><td>.0313988 * * 3.64</td><td> 0.000 * * 1.048812</td><td>1.171956</td></tr><tr><td> ASAScore </td></tr><tr><td>ASA Score 2 * * 43.88958</td><td>90.83688 * * 1.83</td><td> 0.068 * * .7597249</td><td>2535.517</td></tr><tr><td>ASA Score 3 * * 381.0945</td><td>777.651 * * 2.91</td><td> 0.004 * * 6.983838</td><td>20795.59</td></tr><tr><td>ASA score >3 * * 8844.159</td><td>18450.79 * * 4.36</td><td> 0.000 * * 148.2072</td><td>527768.7</td></tr><tr><td> ASAScore#c.Age </td></tr><tr><td>ASA Score 2 * * .9620611</td><td>.0278646 * *-1.34</td><td> 0.182 * * .9089687</td><td>1.018255</td></tr><tr><td>ASA Score 3 * * .9504435</td><td>.0271475 * *-1.78</td><td> 0.075 * * .8986972</td><td>1.005169</td></tr><tr><td>ASA score >3 * * *.932225</td><td>.0271244 * *-2.41</td><td> 0.016 * * .8805496</td><td>.9869329</td></tr><tr><td> Sex </td></tr><tr><td>Male * * 1.187825</td><td>.0740583 * * 2.76</td><td> 0.006 * * 1.051192</td><td>1.342218</td></tr><tr><td> Income </td></tr><tr><td>Medium Income * * .8368125</td><td>.0625113 * *-2.38</td><td> 0.017 * * .7228396</td><td>.968756</td></tr><tr><td>High Income * * .8475343</td><td>.1446554 * *-0.97</td><td> 0.332 * * *.606563</td><td>1.184237</td></tr><tr><td> Education </td></tr><tr><td>Medium Education * * .8625545</td><td>.0560413 * *-2.28</td><td> 0.023 * * .7594215</td><td>.9796935</td></tr><tr><td>High Education * * .7128518</td><td>.0584647 * *-4.13</td><td> 0.000 * * .6069987</td><td>.8371643</td></tr><tr><td> TypeOfSurgery_cat </td></tr><tr><td>A. Neuro surgery * * 5.078578</td><td>1.211138 * * 6.81</td><td> 0.000 * * 3.182349</td><td>8.10469</td></tr><tr><td>D E. ENT surgery * * 1.942009</td><td>.5918672 * * 2.18</td><td> 0.029 * * 1.068636</td><td>3.529169</td></tr><tr><td>G. Pulmonary & thoracic surgery * * 6.041204</td><td>1.619976 * * 6.71</td><td> 0.000 * * 3.571659</td><td>10.21826</td></tr><tr><td>J. Abdominal surgery * * 6.453883</td><td>1.453572 * * 8.28</td><td> 0.000 * * 4.150589</td><td>10.03535</td></tr><tr><td>K. Urological surgery * * 2.827088</td><td>.6747493 * * 4.35</td><td> 0.000 * * 1.770845</td><td>4.51334</td></tr><tr><td>L. Gynecological surgery * * 1.260899</td><td>.3819491 * * 0.77</td><td> 0.444 * * .6963638</td><td>2.283099</td></tr><tr><td>N. Orthopedic surgery * * 3.088301</td><td>.7067283 * * 4.93</td><td> 0.000 * * 1.972106</td><td>4.836253</td></tr><tr><td>V. Vascular surgery * * 3.638874</td><td>.9102379 * * 5.16</td><td> 0.000 * * 2.228666</td><td>5.941401</td></tr><tr><td> Hospsize_cat </td></tr><tr><td>Central Hospital * * 1.398945</td><td>.11175 * * 4.20</td><td> 0.000 * * 1.196204</td><td>1.636048</td></tr><tr><td>University Hospital * * 1.911023</td><td>.1553724 * * 7.97</td><td> 0.000 * * 1.629523</td><td>2.241153</td></tr><tr><td> _cons * *1.33e-07</td><td>2.71e-07 * *-7.78</td><td> 0.000 * * 2.47e-09</td><td>7.18e-06</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Note: _cons estimates baseline odds.</td></tr></TABLE>{C}<!--EndFragment--></BODY></HTML>[/IMG]Logistic regression Number of obs = 245,652 LR chi2(22) = 2623.22 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000 Log likelihood = -6667.8113 Pseudo R2 = 0.1644 Mortality30Days Odds Ratio Std. Err. z P>z [95% Conf. Interval]Age1.108676 .0313988 3.64 0.000 1.048812 1.171956ASAScoreASA Score 2 43.88958 90.83688 1.83 0.068 .7597249 2535.517 ASA Score 3 381.0945 777.651 2.91 0.004 6.983838 20795.59 ASA score >3 8844.159 18450.79 4.36 0.000 148.2072 527768.7ASAScore#c.AgeASA Score 2 .9620611 .0278646 -1.34 0.182 .9089687 1.018255 ASA Score 3 .9504435 .0271475 -1.78 0.075 .8986972 1.005169 ASA score >3 .932225 .0271244 -2.41 0.016 .8805496 .9869329SexMale 1.187825 .0740583 2.76 0.006 1.051192 1.342218IncomeMedium Income .8368125 .0625113 -2.38 0.017 .7228396 .968756 High Income .8475343 .1446554 -0.97 0.332 .606563 1.184237EducationMedium Education .8625545 .0560413 -2.28 0.023 .7594215 .9796935 High Education .7128518 .0584647 -4.13 0.000 .6069987 .8371643TypeOfSurgery_catA. Neuro surgery 5.078578 1.211138 6.81 0.000 3.182349 8.10469 D+E. ENT surgery 1.942009 .5918672 2.18 0.029 1.068636 3.529169 G. Pulmonary & thoracic surgery 6.041204 1.619976 6.71 0.000 3.571659 10.21826 J. Abdominal surgery 6.453883 1.453572 8.28 0.000 4.150589 10.03535 K. Urological surgery 2.827088 .6747493 4.35 0.000 1.770845 4.51334 L. Gynecological surgery 1.260899 .3819491 0.77 0.444 .6963638 2.283099 N. Orthopedic surgery 3.088301 .7067283 4.93 0.000 1.972106 4.836253 V. Vascular surgery 3.638874 .9102379 5.16 0.000 2.228666 5.941401Hospsize_catCentral Hospital 1.398945 .11175 4.20 0.000 1.196204 1.636048 University Hospital 1.911023 .1553724 7.97 0.000 1.629523 2.241153 _cons 1.33e-07 2.71e-07 -7.78 0.000 2.47e-09 7.18e-06 Note: _cons estimates baseline odds.
Code:
margins, at(Age =(20(5)95) ASAScore =(1(1)4))
Delta-method
Margin Std. Err. z P>z [95% Conf. Interval]
_at
1 4.32e-06 6.32e-06 0.68 0.494 -8.06e-06 .0000167
2 .0000875 .0000293 2.99 0.003 .0000301 .0001448
3 .0005952 .00013 4.58 0.000 .0003405 .00085
4 .0092659 .0035629 2.60 0.009 .0022827 .016249
5 7.24e-06 9.58e-06 0.76 0.450 -.0000115 .000026
6 .0001207 .0000367 3.29 0.001 .0000487 .0001928
7 .0007731 .0001541 5.02 0.000 .000471 .0010752
8 .0109019 .0038274 2.85 0.004 .0034004 .0184035
9 .0000121 .0000144 0.84 0.400 -.0000161 .0000403
10 .0001667 .0000457 3.65 0.000 .0000771 .0002562
11 .0010041 .0001811 5.54 0.000 .000649 .0013591
12 .0128217 .0040745 3.15 0.002 .0048358 .0208076
13 .0000203 .0000213 0.95 0.341 -.0000215 .0000621
14 .0002301 .0000562 4.10 0.000 .00012 .0003402
15 .0013038 .0002107 6.19 0.000 .000891 .0017167
16 .0150723 .0042912 3.51 0.000 .0066617 .0234829
17 .000034 .0000311 1.09 0.275 -.000027 .0000951
18 .0003176 .0000681 4.66 0.000 .0001841 .0004511
19 .0016929 .0002418 7.00 0.000 .001219 .0021669
20 .0177082 .0044614 3.97 0.000 .0089641 .0264523
21 .000057 .0000446 1.28 0.202 -.0000305 .0001444
22 .0004384 .0000812 5.40 0.000 .0002793 .0005974
23 .0021978 .0002732 8.05 0.000 .0016624 .0027332
24 .0207915 .0045658 4.55 0.000 .0118427 .0297404
25 .0000954 .0000625 1.53 0.127 -.0000271 .0002179
26 .000605 .0000946 6.39 0.000 .0004195 .0007905
27 .0028526 .0003025 9.43 0.000 .0022598 .0034454
28 .0243934 .0045835 5.32 0.000 .0154099 .033377
29 .0001598 .0000852 1.87 0.061 -7.28e-06 .0003269
30 .0008349 .0001075 7.77 0.000 .0006243 .0010456
31 .0037014 .0003266 11.33 0.000 .0030613 .0043416
32 .0285943 .004494 6.36 0.000 .0197862 .0374025
33 .0002676 .0001136 2.36 0.018 .000045 .0004902
34 .0011521 .0001185 9.73 0.000 .0009199 .0013843
35 .0048012 .0003421 14.04 0.000 .0041307 .0054717
36 .0334847 .0042852 7.81 0.000 .0250859 .0418835
37 .0004482 .0001524 2.94 0.003 .0001495 .0007468
38 .0015895 .000128 12.42 0.000 .0013386 .0018404
39 .0062248 .0003473 17.92 0.000 .0055442 .0069055
40 .0391657 .0039732 9.86 0.000 .0313783 .0469531
41 .0007504 .0002267 3.31 0.001 .0003061 .0011946
42 .0021925 .0001438 15.25 0.000 .0019106 .0024743
43 .0080658 .0003508 23.00 0.000 .0073784 .0087533
44 .0457488 .0036538 12.52 0.000 .0385875 .0529102
45 .001256 .0004106 3.06 0.002 .0004513 .0020607
46 .0030231 .0001916 15.78 0.000 .0026477 .0033986
47 .0104433 .0003913 26.69 0.000 .0096764 .0112102
48 .0533561 .0035997 14.82 0.000 .0463009 .0604112
49 .0021013 .0008462 2.48 0.013 .0004428 .0037598
50 .0041667 .0003121 13.35 0.000 .003555 .0047784
51 .0135083 .0005466 24.71 0.000 .012437 .0145796
52 .0621185 .0042562 14.59 0.000 .0537765 .0704605
53 .0035127 .0017793 1.97 0.048 .0000254 .007
54 .0057393 .0005464 10.50 0.000 .0046684 .0068103
55 .0174508 .0008848 19.72 0.000 .0157166 .019185
56 .0721752 .0058908 12.25 0.000 .0606295 .083721
57 .0058644 .0036564 1.60 0.109 -.001302 .0130307
58 .0078989 .0009455 8.35 0.000 .0060457 .0097522
59 .0225077 .0014535 15.48 0.000 .0196588 .0253565
60 .0836701 .0084797 9.87 0.000 .0670502 .10029
61 .0097688 .0072834 1.34 0.180 -.0045065 .0240441
62 .0108588 .0015861 6.85 0.000 .0077501 .0139675
63 .0289705 .0023154 12.51 0.000 .0244325 .0335086
64 .0967488 .0119699 8.08 0.000 .0732884 .1202093
Code:
marginsplot, ytitle("Predicted probability of 30-day mortality") xtitle("Age") title("Predicted probability of 30-day mortality") subtitle("By age and ASA score")
Is the following a correct interpretation of the findings:
1. There is a significant interaction effect between age and ASA-score, but only between age and the highest ASA-score (ASA score >3, p = 0.016).
2. Looking at "margins results", there is a significant (none-zero) interaction effect between almost all combinations of age (categories of 5 years) and ASA-score. Those combinations that are none-significant ( _at: 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 57, 61) are younger patients with ASA-score ==1. The two last combinations (57 and 61) are really old patients with low ASA-score (very few fit these criterias).
How can point 1. and 2. above exist together? Is the results from the logistic regression an overall interaction effect? I.e. that there is a none-significant overall interaction effect when taking into acount the young patients with low ASA-score, who have a non-significant interaction effect. The lack of significance "overall" in lower categories of ASA-score in the logistic regression is explained by the young patients with low ASA-score?
Can someone help me interpret the results or possibly give suggestions how to perform a better interaction analysis?
All the best, and thank you for this forum.
/Jesper

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