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Longitudinal study on pediatric dyslipidemia in population-based claims database.
Jie Li1, Stephen P Motsko, Earl L Goehring
1Degge Group, Ltd, USA. jli@deggegroup.com
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
|December 26, 2009
Summary
Pediatric lipid testing rates are low, with few children diagnosed or treated for dyslipidemia. Diagnostic codes have low sensitivity, yet associated conditions like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are common in affected children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Cardiovascular Health
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Dyslipidemia in children is a growing concern linked to cardiovascular disease.
- Accurate identification and management of pediatric dyslipidemia are crucial for long-term health outcomes.
- Understanding current testing rates and diagnostic code accuracy is vital for improving pediatric care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of lipid testing in children using US insurance claims data.
- To characterize pediatric dyslipidemia and its associated comorbidities.
- To evaluate the sensitivity of International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes for identifying dyslipidemic children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study utilizing 2003-2006 claims data from Integrated Healthcare Information Services (IHCIS).
- Comparison of children with laboratory-defined or diagnosis/treatment-defined dyslipidemia against matched controls without dyslipidemia.
- Analysis of comorbidities within specific timeframes before and after dyslipidemia identification.
Main Results:
- Only 7% of children with available lab values underwent cholesterol testing.
- A low percentage (15%) of laboratory-defined dyslipidemic children received a dyslipidemia diagnosis.
- Dyslipidemic children exhibited significantly higher rates of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights a low rate of lipid testing in the pediatric population.
- ICD-9-CM codes demonstrate poor sensitivity in identifying children with dyslipidemia.
- Despite low diagnosis and treatment rates, comorbidities associated with dyslipidemia are prevalent in children.
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