International Validation of the Population Based Malta Vascular Registry: A Vascunet Report

Quality registries can be used to study treatment patterns and changes in trends of complications related to procedures and devices. To ensure that such study is possible in registries, there is a need to use standardised variables and the registry must have high internal and external validity. This study was an international external and internal validation of the newly initiated Maltese Vascular Registry.

Two international vascular registry consultants visited the Maltese Vascular Registry (MVR), and conducted an external validation on all carotid and aortic aneurysm repairs performed in 2017-18. The external validation was conducted by comparing hospital administration lists with the MVR list. Using randomly chosen numbers, an internal validation was conducted of 20 random cases of carotid and 20 aortic aneurysms, 10 from 2017 and 10 from 2018, to validate date of operation and procedure against the patient's medical record. The registry is built as a database using national personal identifier codes, with variables for date and type of procedure, and anaesthetic method used, to which a note is attached describing the indication, intervention, and follow up. Between the hospital registry and the MVR, 111 of 115 cases could be identified correctly, corresponding to 97% external validity. Between the patient case records and the MVR, the dates and procedures of 20/20 carotid and 20/20 aortic aneurysm procedure were identical, indicating 100% internal validity.

The MVR showed an external validity of 97% and internal validity of 100%. Future work should incorporate specific variables for comorbidity, procedures, and outcomes, with the registry aiming to incorporate international recommended variables for comorbidity, procedure, and outcome.