Statistical Methods to Study Timing of Vulnerability with Sparsely Sampled Data on Environmental Toxicants

Method 2 is preferred over method 1 because it enables formal testing of differences in effects across a priori-defined windows (e.g., trimesters of pregnancy). Methods 3 and 4 are preferred over method 2 when there is large variability in the timing of exposure assessments among participants. Methods 3 and 4 yielded smaller p-values for tests of the hypothesis that not only level but also timing of lead exposure are relevant predictors of MDI24; systematic power comparisons are warranted.