Quality of rheumatoid arthritis recording in United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum

Abstract

Purpose While several studies have assessed quality and completeness of recording acute medical events in Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Aurum, evaluation of additional chronic conditions is warranted. Methods We selected patients with a first diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) coded in their CPRD Aurum record between 2005 and 2019. We assessed quality of RA diagnosis by evaluating additional information in the patient record that would corroborate the diagnosis. We report recording of diagnoses, prescriptions, labs, and referrals expected to be present based on NICE guidelines for RA management. Results There were 53 083 patients with a first recorded RA diagnosis during the study period: 43606 (82%) patients had RA drug treatments in their record, 7596 (14%) had supporting codes without drug treatment, and 1881 (4%) patients had only a RA diagnoses recorded in their medical record with no supporting codes or RA treatments. Patients with RA diagnosis only were more likely to be first diagnosed in the earliest time period of study. Labs for diagnosing and monitoring RA were most common among patients with RA treatment. Analgesic and glucocorticoid prescriptions were common in all study patients but were highest among patients with RA treatment. Among patients with RA diagnosis only, the overwhelming majority had only one RA diagnosis recorded (76%). Conclusions Our findings suggest that codes expected for monitoring and treatment of RA are routinely recorded in CPRD Aurum. These results support previous assessments, which found data recorded in CPRD Aurum to be of good quality for use in research.

Correctness and Completeness of Breast Cancer Diagnoses Recorded in UK CPRD Aurum and CPRD GOLD Databases: Comparison to Hospital Episode Statistics and Cancer Registry (Companion Paper 2)

“…Since then, work to assess the quality and completeness of recording in CPRD Aurum has been undertaken to describe its characteristics, strengths, and limitations related to its suitability for use in medical research. [2][3][4][5][6][7] The results presented in our companion paper indicate that the recording of breast cancer diagnoses, treatments, and prescription drugs in CPRD Aurum were of similarly high quality compared to CPRD GOLD. 8 This study was conducted to extend the assessment to comparison with external linked data sources.…”

Comparison of Rheumatoid Arthritis Information Recorded in UK CPRD Aurum and CPRD GOLD Databases (Companion Paper 3)

“…In our previous short report, we found that codes expected for monitoring and treatment of RA were routinely recorded in CPRD Aurum. 21 Our current study provides a more thorough description of RA-related data captured in the CPRD Aurum patient record, as well as a side-by-side comparison to the equivalent data recorded in CPRD GOLD. Overall, the recording of diagnoses, prescription drugs and labs in the year before and the year after first RA diagnosis were similar between CPRD Aurum and CPRD GOLD.…”

“… 12 CPRD GOLD has been successfully used in many studies of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other chronic outcomes, 13–20 but assessment of data recording for RA in CPRD Aurum is limited to our previous short report that found that codes expected for monitoring and treatment of RA are routinely recorded in CPRD Aurum, without comparison to an external data source. 21 …”

“…12 CPRD GOLD has been successfully used in many studies of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other chronic outcomes, [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] but assessment of data recording for RA in CPRD Aurum is limited to our previous short report that found that codes expected for monitoring and treatment of RA are routinely recorded in CPRD Aurum, without comparison to an external data source. 21 We expanded on this by further evaluating RA diagnoses and treatments in the new CPRD Aurum database to data in the previously validated CPRD GOLD database. Our objectives were to compare the distribution of codes for diagnoses, tests, and treatments consistent with a diagnosis of RA in CPRD Aurum and CPRD GOLD.…”

Use of the CPRD Aurum Database: Insights Gained from New Data Quality Assessments

“… 4–6 Other studies have reported high internal consistency between diagnoses and presence of relevant clinical codes (labs, prescriptions, and other clinical care) for type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, anemia, 7 and RA. 8 Indication for use of benign prostatic hyperplasia drugs was present for a large proportion of patients, suggesting that CPRD Aurum may adequately capture this important detail for drugs prescribed by GPs. 9 Finally, the number of recorded prescriptions for the most common antibiotics was similar in CPRD GOLD and CPRD Aurum, 10 though drugs prescribed in specialty care may have low capture.…”