Osteopontin, asbestos exposure and pleural plaques: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health

Table 4 Linear regression coefficient (b), standard error of the coefficient (SE(b)) and p-value of the z test statistics at univariable and in two models of multivariable regression: (1) estimated with forward stepwise selection of predictors; and (2) estimated forcing age in the former model

Predictor variables ^§	Univariable analysis			Multivariable analysis
				Model 1 ^@			Model 2 ^#
	b	SE(b)	p-value	b	SE(b)	p-value	b	SE(b)	p-value
Age (years)	-1.95E-4	6.00E-5	0.001				1.41E-5	9.28E-5	0.879
Time since last exposure (years)	-2.28E-4	5.90E-5	0.000
Time since first exposure (years)	-2.42E-4	5.50E-5	0.000	-2.42E-4	5.47E-5	0.000	-2.5E-4	8.65E-5	0.004
Length of exposure (years)	-1.06E-5	5.90E-5	0.858
Cumulative exposure (ff/ml) × years	-7.87E-6	3.25E-6	0.016
Peak exposure (ff/ml)	-1.09E-5	6.41E-6	0.089
Smoking classes	-2.79E-4	6.50E-4	0.668

^§ The dependent variable is Osteopontin in all models of linear regression analysis
^@ Estimated with forward stepwise selection of predictors
^# Estimated forcing age in the model 1.
The dependent variable is 1/Osteopontin in all models of linear regression analysis.

ISSN: 1471-2458