Sample size calculations for linkage analysis using extreme sib pairs based on segregation analysis with the quantitative phenotype body weight as an example

One approach to establish linkage is based on allele-sharing methods for sib pairs. Recently, the use of extreme sib pairs (ESP) has been proposed to increase power for mapping quantitative traits in humans. Several approaches have been discussed. In this study, we calculate sample sizes for the various ESP approaches using segregation analyses of quantitative traits. We illustrate this approach by using previously published segregation analyses of body weight despite the fact that the assumptions imposed by these analyses do not hold up for this quantitative phenotype.