Systematic Analysis of Self-Reported Comorbidities in Large Cohort Studies - A Novel Stepwise Approach by Evaluation of Medication.

In large cohort studies comorbidities are usually self-reported by the patients. This way to collect health information only represents conditions known, memorized and openly reported by the patients. Several studies addressed the relationship between self-reported comorbidities and medical records...

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Main Authors: Tanja Lucke, Ronald Herrera, Margarethe Wacker, Rolf Holle, Frank Biertz, Dennis Nowak, Rudolf M Huber, Sandra Söhler, Claus Vogelmeier, Joachim H Ficker, Harald Mückter, Rudolf A Jörres, COSYCONET-Consortium
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2016-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5085029?pdf=render
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author Tanja Lucke
Ronald Herrera
Margarethe Wacker
Rolf Holle
Frank Biertz
Dennis Nowak
Rudolf M Huber
Sandra Söhler
Claus Vogelmeier
Joachim H Ficker
Harald Mückter
Rudolf A Jörres
COSYCONET-Consortium
author_facet Tanja Lucke
Ronald Herrera
Margarethe Wacker
Rolf Holle
Frank Biertz
Dennis Nowak
Rudolf M Huber
Sandra Söhler
Claus Vogelmeier
Joachim H Ficker
Harald Mückter
Rudolf A Jörres
COSYCONET-Consortium
author_sort Tanja Lucke
collection DOAJ
description In large cohort studies comorbidities are usually self-reported by the patients. This way to collect health information only represents conditions known, memorized and openly reported by the patients. Several studies addressed the relationship between self-reported comorbidities and medical records or pharmacy data, but none of them provided a structured, documented method of evaluation. We thus developed a detailed procedure to compare self-reported comorbidities with information on comorbidities derived from medication inspection. This was applied to the data of the German COPD cohort COSYCONET.Approach I was based solely on ICD10-Codes for the diseases and the indications of medications. To overcome the limitations due to potential non-specificity of medications, Approach II was developed using more detailed information, such as ATC-Codes specific for one disease. The relationship between reported comorbidities and medication was expressed by a four-level concordance score.Approaches I and II demonstrated that the patterns of concordance scores markedly differed between comorbidities in the COSYCONET data. On average, Approach I resulted in more than 50% concordance of all reported diseases to at least one medication. The more specific Approach II showed larger differences in the matching with medications, due to large differences in the disease-specificity of drugs. The highest concordance was achieved for diabetes and three combined cardiovascular disorders, while it was substantial for dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia, and low for asthma.Both approaches represent feasible strategies to confirm self-reported diagnoses via medication. Approach I covers a broad spectrum of diseases and medications but is limited regarding disease-specificity. Approach II uses the information from medications specific for a single disease and therefore can reach higher concordance scores. The strategies described in a detailed and reproducible manner are generally applicable in large studies and might be useful to extract as much information as possible from the available data.
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spelling doaj.art-4b9eadf0c54a4950998601f61645d8152022-12-21T22:58:02ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032016-01-011110e016340810.1371/journal.pone.0163408Systematic Analysis of Self-Reported Comorbidities in Large Cohort Studies - A Novel Stepwise Approach by Evaluation of Medication.Tanja LuckeRonald HerreraMargarethe WackerRolf HolleFrank BiertzDennis NowakRudolf M HuberSandra SöhlerClaus VogelmeierJoachim H FickerHarald MückterRudolf A JörresCOSYCONET-ConsortiumIn large cohort studies comorbidities are usually self-reported by the patients. This way to collect health information only represents conditions known, memorized and openly reported by the patients. Several studies addressed the relationship between self-reported comorbidities and medical records or pharmacy data, but none of them provided a structured, documented method of evaluation. We thus developed a detailed procedure to compare self-reported comorbidities with information on comorbidities derived from medication inspection. This was applied to the data of the German COPD cohort COSYCONET.Approach I was based solely on ICD10-Codes for the diseases and the indications of medications. To overcome the limitations due to potential non-specificity of medications, Approach II was developed using more detailed information, such as ATC-Codes specific for one disease. The relationship between reported comorbidities and medication was expressed by a four-level concordance score.Approaches I and II demonstrated that the patterns of concordance scores markedly differed between comorbidities in the COSYCONET data. On average, Approach I resulted in more than 50% concordance of all reported diseases to at least one medication. The more specific Approach II showed larger differences in the matching with medications, due to large differences in the disease-specificity of drugs. The highest concordance was achieved for diabetes and three combined cardiovascular disorders, while it was substantial for dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia, and low for asthma.Both approaches represent feasible strategies to confirm self-reported diagnoses via medication. Approach I covers a broad spectrum of diseases and medications but is limited regarding disease-specificity. Approach II uses the information from medications specific for a single disease and therefore can reach higher concordance scores. The strategies described in a detailed and reproducible manner are generally applicable in large studies and might be useful to extract as much information as possible from the available data.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5085029?pdf=render
spellingShingle Tanja Lucke
Ronald Herrera
Margarethe Wacker
Rolf Holle
Frank Biertz
Dennis Nowak
Rudolf M Huber
Sandra Söhler
Claus Vogelmeier
Joachim H Ficker
Harald Mückter
Rudolf A Jörres
COSYCONET-Consortium
Systematic Analysis of Self-Reported Comorbidities in Large Cohort Studies - A Novel Stepwise Approach by Evaluation of Medication.
PLoS ONE
title Systematic Analysis of Self-Reported Comorbidities in Large Cohort Studies - A Novel Stepwise Approach by Evaluation of Medication.
title_full Systematic Analysis of Self-Reported Comorbidities in Large Cohort Studies - A Novel Stepwise Approach by Evaluation of Medication.
title_fullStr Systematic Analysis of Self-Reported Comorbidities in Large Cohort Studies - A Novel Stepwise Approach by Evaluation of Medication.
title_full_unstemmed Systematic Analysis of Self-Reported Comorbidities in Large Cohort Studies - A Novel Stepwise Approach by Evaluation of Medication.
title_short Systematic Analysis of Self-Reported Comorbidities in Large Cohort Studies - A Novel Stepwise Approach by Evaluation of Medication.
title_sort systematic analysis of self reported comorbidities in large cohort studies a novel stepwise approach by evaluation of medication
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5085029?pdf=render
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