Table 4 Estimates of OR_SCL, OR_VF and OR_MH (95% CI), and OR_MH (2.5–97.5pct): Simulated data (study period = 22 days). Results are shown graphically in Fig. 4

One binary exposure variable only

OR_SCL exp(β)

6.02 (4.14–8.75)

5.30 (3.73–7.53)

4.60 (3.27–6.48)

5.23 (3.65–7.50)

6.61 (3.27–13.33)

4.00 (2.45–6.53)

OR_VF exp(β)

–

4.00 (2.58–6.20)

4.00 (2.80–5.71)

4.00 (2.45–6.53)

–

4.00 (2.45–6.53)

OR_MH exp(β)

4.00 (2.93–5.46)

4.00 (2.92–5.48)

4.00 (2.89–5.53)

4.00 (2.87–5.57)

4.00 (2.19–7.29)

4.00 (2.45–6.53)

OR_G exp(β)

4.00 (2.85–5.66)

4.00 (2.82–5.60)

4.00 (2.84–5.70)

4.00 (2.82–5.81)

4.00 (2.12–9.00)

4.00 (2.57–6.69)

One binary exposure variable and one binary time-varying confounder

OR_SCL exp(β)

6.35 (4.52–8.91)

5.57 (4.04–7.68)

4.76 (3.49–6.51)

5.29 (3.81–7.35)

6.79 (3.59–12.86)

4.34 (2.76–6.82)

exp(γ)

2.20 (1.60–3.01)

1.78 (1.28–2.48)

1.80 (1.27–2.54)

2.06 (1.39–3.06)

1.91 (1.25–2.91)

1.35 (0.83–2.20)

OR_VF exp(β)

–

4.08 (2.74–6.07)

4.02 (2.90–5.58)

4.02 (2.57–6.29)

–

4.31 (2.75–6.74)

exp(γ)

2.20 (1.51–3.22)

1.78 (1.20–2.63)

1.83 (1.25–2.67)

2.02 (1.24–3.31)

2.34 (1.43–3.85)

1.94 (1.16–3.24)

OR_MH exp(β)

4.16 (3.09–5.61)

4.36 (3.15–6.03)

4.40 (3.11–6.24)

3.54 (2.49–5.04)

4.11 (2.17–7.80)

5.56 (2.73–11.30)

OR_G exp(β)

3.96 (2.88–5.46)

4.06 (2.93–5.61)

4.11 (2.97–5.78)

4.00 (2.85–5.67)

4.04 (2.26–8.80)

4.34 (2.86–7.40)

exp(γ)

2.10 (1.53–2.81)

1.77 (1.25–2.47)

1.76 (1.23–2.53)

2.01 (1.39–2.83)

1.90 (1.27–2.86)

1.35 (0.80–2.26)