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Finding EPOCH Values in SDTM Datasets using a SAS Macro Finding EPOCH Values in SDTM Datasets using a SAS Macro Author: [Sarath] Date: [05SEP2024] The EPOCH variable is essential in many SDTM datasets as it helps describe the period during which an event, observation, or assessment occurs. In clinical trials, correctly capturing and analyzing the EPOCH variable across datasets is crucial. This post walks through a SAS macro program that automates the process of finding all EPOCH values from any dataset within an entire library of SDTM datasets. Program Overview This macro program loops through all the datasets in a specified library, checks for the presence of the EPOCH variable, and extracts the unique values of EPOCH from each dataset. It then consolidates the results and displays them for review. Key Features: Automatically identifies SDTM datasets containing the EPOCH variable. ...

Ensuring Data Quality with SAS: Checking for Non-ASCII Characters Ensuring Data Quality with SAS: Checking for Non-ASCII Characters Author: Sarath Annapareddy Date: September 2, 2024 Introduction In the world of data processing, ensuring the integrity and cleanliness of your datasets is paramount. One of the common issues that data engineers and analysts face is the presence of non-ASCII or non-printable characters within their datasets. These characters can cause a wide range of problems, from data corruption to failures in downstream processing and reporting. To address this, I developed a SAS program named check_non_ascii.sas , which not only identifies these problematic characters but also streamlines the data by removing any completely blank variables. The Problem with Non-ASCII Characters ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a character encoding standard used to represent text in computers and othe...

Comprehensive SAS Interview Scenarios and Solutions for Clinical Programming Comprehensive SAS Interview Scenarios and Solutions for Clinical Programming Scenario 1: Creating SDTM Domains Question: You are given a raw dataset from a clinical trial. How would you approach creating an SDTM domain? Answer: First, I would familiarize myself with the SDTM Implementation Guide to understand the specific structure and variables required for the domain. I would then map the raw data to the corresponding SDTM variables, ensuring to follow CDISC standards. This involves creating a specification document that outlines the mapping rules and any necessary derivations. Finally, I would validate the domain using tools like Pinnacle 21 to ensure compliance. Scenario 2: Handling Missing Data Question: How do you handle missing data in your analysis datasets? Answer: Handling missing data depends on the ...

SAS Interview Questions and Answers SAS Interview Questions and Answers 1) What do you understand about SDTM and its importance? Answer: SDTM (Standard Data Tabulation Model) is a standard structure for study data tabulations that are submitted as part of a product application to a regulatory authority such as the FDA. SDTM plays a crucial role in ensuring that data is consistently structured, making it easier to review and analyze clinical trial data. 2) What are the key components of a Mapping Document in SAS programming? Answer: A Mapping Document in SAS programming typically includes: Source Data Variables: The original variables in the source datasets. Target SDTM Variables: The SDTM-compliant variables to which the source data is mapped. Transformation Rules: The rules and logic applied to transform the source data to SDTM format. Derivations: Any additional calculations or derivations needed to create SDTM variables. 3) H...

Macro Debugging Options in SAS Macro Debugging Options in SAS The SAS Macro Facility is a powerful feature that allows for dynamic code generation and automation. However, when macros become complex, it can be challenging to understand how they are executing and where issues might arise. SAS provides several debugging options to help developers trace the execution of macros and diagnose problems. In this article, we will explore the following debugging options: MPRINT MLOGIC SYMBOLGEN MACROGEN MFILE MPRINT The MPRINT option is used to display the SAS statements that are generated by macro execution. This option helps you see the actual code that a macro produces, which is essential for understanding what your macro is doing. Basic Example: options mprint; %macro greet(name); %put Hello, &name!; %mend greet; %greet(Sarath); When you run the above code with the...

Extracting the First Three Alphabetic Characters in SAS: A Comparative Guide Extracting the First Three Alphabetic Characters in SAS: A Comparative Guide When working with "Agreement" numbers that contain both alphabetic and numeric characters, there are several approaches you can use in SAS to extract the first three alphabetic characters. Below, I’ll discuss three common methods: substr with findc , substr with compress , and substr with left . Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the structure of your data and your specific needs. Approach 1: substr with findc char_part = substr(Agreement, 1, findc(Agreement, '0123456789')-1); Explanation: This approach finds the position of the first numeric character in the Agreement string using findc , and then extracts all characters before that position using substr . It works well if the alphabetic part of the "Agreement" is always at the beginnin...

To upcase all character variables in a SAS dataset, you can use a DATA step with the UPCASE() function in combination with the VARNUM() and VARNAME() functions to iterate through all variables. Here's an example: data upcased_dataset; set original_dataset; array _char_vars _character_; /* Create an array of all character variables */ do i = 1 to dim(_char_vars); _char_vars[i] = upcase(_char_vars[i]); /* Convert each variable to uppercase */ end; drop i; run; Explanation: array _char_vars _character_; creates an array _char_vars that includes all character variables in the dataset. The do i = 1 to dim(_char_vars); loop iterates through each character variable in the array. _char_vars[i] = upcase(_char_vars[i]); applies the UPCASE() function to each character variable, converting it to uppercase. drop i; removes the temporary index variable i from the final dataset. Replace original_dataset with the name of your d...