Feasibility study for identifying adverse events attributable to vaccination by record linkage

Abstract

SUMMARYTo investigate the feasibility of using a record linkage method for identifying vaccine attributable adverse events, computerized hospital admissions and vaccination records from South East Kent district were linked and checked for accuracy. Records for 90 % of children under 2 years of age admitted to hospital over a 2-year period were matched with vaccination records using a computer algorithm based on name, date of birth, sex, and post-code supplemented by visual inspection. Relative to this gold standard, matching on date of birth, sex and postcode alone had a sensitivity of 60 % and an incorrect match rate of 0-2 % after matches to more than one vaccine recipient were excluded. Manual checking of a sample of admissions showed that only 4 % had been assigned incorrect International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes. Routine record linkage of ICD admission codes to vaccination records therefore yields data of good quality which may be used for surveillance purposes.

Validation of administrative health data for the pediatric population: a scoping review

“…However, a diverse range of conditions were investigated in single studies, including obesity [25], vaccine-related illness [26], injuries [27], autism [28], febrile neutropenia in oncology patients [29], high risk conditions [30], dermatologic conditions [31-33], congenital anomalies [34], cardiac defects [35], respiratory illnesses excluding asthma [36-38], neurologic conditions [39], other gastrointestinal conditions [40-43], genitourinary conditions [44,45], serum sickness [46], thrombosis [47], maternal/perinatal conditions [48], and drug-related anaphylaxis [49]. …”

“…Only five conditions were investigated in more than one study: diabetes (10.6%) [ 13 - 16 ], inflammatory bowel disease (5.4%) [ 17 , 18 ], asthma (5.4%) [ 19 , 20 ], rotavirus infection (5.4%) [ 21 , 22 ], and tuberculosis (5.4%) [ 23 , 24 ]. However, a diverse range of conditions were investigated in single studies, including obesity [ 25 ], vaccine-related illness [ 26 ], injuries [ 27 ], autism [ 28 ], febrile neutropenia in oncology patients [ 29 ], high risk conditions [ 30 ], dermatologic conditions [ 31 - 33 ], congenital anomalies [ 34 ], cardiac defects [ 35 ], respiratory illnesses excluding asthma [ 36 - 38 ], neurologic conditions [ 39 ], other gastrointestinal conditions [ 40 - 43 ], genitourinary conditions [ 44 , 45 ], serum sickness [ 46 ], thrombosis [ 47 ], maternal/perinatal conditions [ 48 ], and drug-related anaphylaxis [ 49 ].…”

Risks of Convulsion and Aseptic Meningitis following Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination in the United Kingdom

“…They exclude non-National Health Service admissions, but acute pediatric care within the private sector is negligible. MMR vaccination histories were independently obtained through linkage with computerized immunization records in the two Thames regions, using either the National Health Service number or sex, date of birth, and postcode, a highly specific linking algorithm (13). Information on batch number was sought for any confirmed aseptic meningitis cases with onset 15-35 days after MMR vaccination.…”

No evidence of an association between MMR vaccine and gait disturbance

“…5 Based on the annual birth cohort in the districts from which hospital admissions records were obtained, it is estimated that approximately 509 000 children were eligible to receive MMR vaccine during the study period. Admissions in children aged 12 to ,24 months with an ICD-10 diagnosis code indicating a possible acute gait disorder or other condition suggestive of cerebellar dysfunction or disturbed motor control were identified, irrespective of whether a linked MMR record was found.…”