Comparing strategies for association mapping in samples with related individuals

Abstract

In this paper, different strategies to test for association in samples with related individuals designed for linkage studies are compared. Because no independent controls are available, a family-based association test and case-control tests corrected for the presence of related individuals in which unaffected relatives are used as controls were tested. When unrelated controls are available, additional strategies including selection of a single case per family considering either all families or a subset of linked families, are also considered. Analyses are performed on the simulated dataset, blind to the answers. The case-control test corrected for the presence of related individuals is the most powerful strategy to detect three loci associated with the disease under study. Using a correction factor for the case-control test performed conditional on the marker information rather than unconditional does not impact the power significantly.