Could Sampling Bias Be to Blame for Apparent Association Among Rheumatic Diseases?

School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. P.Y. Liao and J.K. Yang contributed equally. The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this work. Address correspondence to Dr. J.C.C. Wei, Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan. Email: jccwei@gmail.com.

School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. P.Y. Liao and J.K. Yang contributed equally. The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this work. Address correspondence to Dr. J.C.C. Wei, Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan. Email: jccwei@gmail.com.

School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. P.Y. Liao and J.K. Yang contributed equally. The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this work. Address correspondence to Dr. J.C.C. Wei, Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan. Email: jccwei@gmail.com.

School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. P.Y. Liao and J.K. Yang contributed equally. The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this work. Address correspondence to Dr. J.C.C. Wei, Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan. Email: jccwei@gmail.com.

School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. P.Y. Liao and J.K. Yang contributed equally. The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this work. Address correspondence to Dr. J.C.C. Wei, Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University; Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan. Email: jccwei@gmail.com.