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Published on: August 11, 2015
Complications after craniosynostosis surgery: comparison of the 2012 Kids' Inpatient Database and Pediatric NSQIP
Yimo Lin1, I-Wen Pan2, Rory R Mayer2
1Department of Neurosurgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; and.
Insights
This study compared the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) and Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (Peds NSQIP) for pediatric craniosynostosis surgery data. Complication rates were similar, but Peds NSQIP reported higher blood transfusion rates.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Health Services Research
- Data Science in Healthcare
Background:
- Large administrative datasets are increasingly used in research, but their reliability requires validation.
- Previous studies on data fidelity have yielded mixed results, necessitating direct comparisons between data sources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the content and reliability of the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) and the American College of Surgeons Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (Peds NSQIP).
- To identify similarities and differences in data captured for pediatric craniosynostosis surgery between these two major databases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of children under 12 months with nonsyndromic craniosynostosis undergoing surgery in 2012.
- Data extraction from both the KID and Peds NSQIP databases.
- Comparison of demographic information, length of stay, and complication rates, with literature data for context.
Main Results:
- A total of 1765 admissions were identified in KID and 391 in Peds NSQIP.
- Mean length of stay was comparable (3.2 days in KID vs. 4 days in Peds NSQIP).
- Rates of cardiac events, stroke, infection, wound disruption, and seizures were low and similar across both datasets and literature.
- Blood transfusion rates differed significantly (36% in KID vs. 64% in Peds NSQIP).
Conclusions:
- Both KID and Peds NSQIP offer valuable data for surgical patient research, with KID capturing a larger volume of cases.
- Most studied complication rates were consistent between the two databases.
- The discrepancy in blood transfusion rates highlights potential differences in data capture methodologies, particularly Peds NSQIP's retrospective chart review.
Abstract:
OBJECT Research conducted using large administrative data sets has increased in recent decades, but reports on the fidelity and reliability of such data have been mixed. The goal of this project was to compare data from a large, administrative claims data set with a quality improvement registry in order to ascertain similarities and differences in content. METHODS Data on children younger than 12 months with nonsyndromic craniosynostosis who underwent surgery in 2012 were queried in both the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) and the American College of Surgeons Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (Peds NSQIP). Data from published clinical craniosynostosis surgery series are reported for comparison. RESULTS Among patients younger than 12 months of age, a total of 1765 admissions were identified in KID and 391 in Peds NSQIP in 2012. Only nonsyndromic patients were included. The mean length of stay was 3.2 days in KID and 4 days in Peds NSQIP. The rates of cardiac events (0.5% in KID, 0.3% in Peds NSQIP, and 0.4%-2.2% in the literature), stroke/intracranial bleeds (0.4% in KID, 0.5% in Peds NSQIP, and 0.3%-1.2% in the literature), infection (0.2% in KID, 0.8% in Peds NSQIP, and 0%-8% in the literature), wound disruption (0.2% in KID, 0.5% in Peds NSQIP, 0%-4% in the literature), and seizures (0.7% in KID, 0.8% in Peds NSQIP, 0%-0.8% in the literature) were low and similar between the 2 data sets. The reported rates of blood transfusion (36% in KID, 64% in Peds NSQIP, and 1.7%-100% in the literature) varied between the 2 data sets. CONCLUSIONS Both the KID and Peds NSQIP databases provide large samples of surgical patients, with more cases reported in KID. The rates of complications studied were similar between the 2 data sets, with the exception of blood transfusion events where the retrospective chart review process of Peds NSQIP captured almost double the rate reported in KID.
