Clinical Statistical Programming

Accidentally replacing SAS data sets can be a significant issue, especially in clinical data programming where ADaM (Analysis Data Model) datasets are critical. In this blog post, we’ll explore various strategies and best practices to prevent SAS data sets from being accidentally replaced, ensuring data integrity and reliability in your clinical data analysis. Why Preventing Data Set Replacement is Important Accidental replacement of data sets can have several negative consequences: Data Loss : Overwriting a data set can result in the loss of valuable data that may not be recoverable. Inconsistencies : Replacing data sets can lead to inconsistencies in your analysis, especially if the new data set differs from the original. Time and Effort : Recovering from accidental data replacement can be time-consuming and may require significant effort to restore the original data. Basic Strategies to Prevent Data Set Replacement 1.  Use the  LIBNAME  Statement Wisely The  LIBNA...

There may be times when you need a specific character used in your outputs, for example superscripts or trade mark symbols in a footnote, but cannot see these directly on your keyboard. These characters and many more are all accessible for use in your SAS programs.  This table shows some of the special characters available to use, along with their corresponding byte number in SAS and a description. Byte(i) Symbol Description 153 ™ Trademark sign 169 © Copyright sign 170 ª Superscript a 174 ® Registered trademark sign 176 ° Degree symbol 177 ± Plus or minus sign 178 ² Superscript 2 / squared 179 ³ Superscript 3 / cubed 185 ¹ Superscript 1 188 ¼ One quarter 189 ½ Half 190 ¾ Three quarters 247 ÷ Division sign The full list of characters can be seen by running the following code. This will create a dataset with a variable containing each special character and a variable with ea...

Debugging nested macros in SAS can feel like navigating a maze, but with the right tools, it becomes much more manageable. Two powerful options,  MLOGICNEST  and  MPRINTNEST , can significantly enhance your debugging process by providing detailed insights into the execution flow and generated SAS statements of nested macros. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to use these options effectively. What are Nested Macros? Before diving into debugging, let’s understand what nested macros are. In SAS, a macro is a piece of code or a script that can be reused multiple times. Nested macros are macros that call other macros within them. This nesting can help organize complex tasks into manageable parts but can also make debugging more challenging. Why Debugging Nested Macros is Important When working with nested macros, it’s crucial to ensure that each macro executes correctly and in the right order. Errors in nested macros can lead to incorrect results, wasted time, and frustrati...