Routinely collected patient data in neurology research: a systematic mapping review

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Health Informatics
• Data Science

Background:

• The use of routinely collected healthcare data in neurology research is expanding.
• This trend is driven by the increasing availability of large-scale datasets.
• Understanding the scope of this research is crucial for future directions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the landscape of neurology research utilizing routinely collected healthcare data.
• To identify the range of neurological conditions studied.
• To assess the distribution of research focus across different neurological disorders.

Main Methods:

• A systematic mapping review approach was employed.
• No quality appraisal of included studies was performed to ensure a comprehensive overview.
• Publications were retrieved and screened for eligibility based on predefined criteria.

Main Results:

• Out of 4481 retrieved publications, 386 met the eligibility criteria.
• Research predominantly focused on a few conditions, with multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy/seizure, and Parkinson's disease accounting for 60% of studies.
• Multiple sclerosis (35% of studies) is overrepresented compared to its global disease burden ranking, while high-burden conditions like migraine (4% of studies) are underrepresented.

Conclusions:

• A significant imbalance exists in the literature, with rare neurological disorders receiving disproportionately more research attention than common ones.
• Future research should aim to rebalance the focus towards more prevalent neurological conditions.
• This shift could lead to a better understanding and management of common neurological diseases.