Potential of general practice data for congenital anomaly research: Comparison with registry data in the united kingdom

Abstract

The prevalence of CAs in THIN was consistent with EUROCAT for early diagnoses, demonstrating THIN to be a valuable source of data in which to investigate CAs. Age of diagnosis is an important factor in explaining a higher overall prevalence in THIN; the inclusion of diagnoses made after 1 year of age substantially improves capture of diagnoses.

Limited Risks of Major Congenital Anomalies in Children of Mothers With IBD and Effects of Medications

“…The diagnosis of our congenital anomaly outcome in electronic primary care data has also been validated against written primary care records 26 . Furthermore, prevalence estimates across all system-specific groups and for specific major congenital anomaly diagnoses are comparable to those reported in UK registers of the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies network 27 and in the case of trisomy 21 the expected variation by age is shown 28 . Our inability to individually check children however might still permit a bias to arise if, for example, the children born to women with IBD are more carefully assessed.…”

First Trimester Exposure to Anxiolytic and Hypnotic Drugs and the Risks of Major Congenital Anomalies: A United Kingdom Population-Based Cohort Study

“…We included MCAs diagnosed up to age 20 years where available, so we expect to have captured these outcomes as completely as registry data if not more so [26]. As stillbirths are recorded in the mother's record, but stillborn children do not have their own registration in the primary care database, we only included live-born children, as has been the case in most previous studies of congenital anomaly risk.…”

Nicotine Replacement Therapy in Pregnancy and Major Congenital Anomalies in Offspring

“…This method exhibited good completeness of recording in a previous validation study comparing MCAs in THIN versus EUROCAT registry data, with 72% of diagnoses being recorded before the child's first birthday. 23 In line with EUROCAT, minor CAs (eg, lip hypertrophy, congenital flat foot) were excluded. 22 Using this method, the prevalence of specific MCAs in THIN is consistent with the prevalence from British registries contributing to EUROCAT.…”

“…22 Using this method, the prevalence of specific MCAs in THIN is consistent with the prevalence from British registries contributing to EUROCAT. 23 Children with anomalies specifically attributed to known teratogens (eg, fetal alcohol syndrome, fetal valproate syndrome) were excluded from the study population.…”