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Identifying Newborns with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Hospital Discharge Data: A Validation Study
Anne Ego1, T Debillon2, D Sourd3
1Public Health Department CHU Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP∗, TIMC-IMAG, Grenoble, France, ∗Institute of Engineering Univ, Grenoble Alpes; INSERM UMR 1153, Obstetrical, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team (EPOPé), Center for Epidemiology and Statistics Sorbonne Paris Cité (CRESS), FHU PREMA, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France; Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm CIC1406, CHU de Grenoble, Grenoble, France.
Hospital discharge databases (HDDs) are not reliable for studying neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Accurate validation of HIE International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes is crucial before using HDDs for research.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal research
- Public health data analysis
- Medical coding accuracy
Background:
- Hospital discharge databases (HDDs) are valuable resources for population health research.
- Their utility for studying specific neonatal conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) requires careful evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the accuracy of International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in a national hospital discharge database.
- To determine the reliability of HDDs for research on neonatal HIE.
Main Methods:
- Linking a French population-based cohort of newborns with HIE to a national HDD.
- Comparing diagnoses within the cohort and the database to evaluate coding accuracy.
Main Results:
- The linkage revealed significant inaccuracies in the reporting of the HIE ICD-10 code within the national HDD.
- This suggests a potential underestimation or misclassification of neonatal HIE cases in the database.
Conclusions:
- Hospital discharge databases should not be used for research on neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy without prior validation of the relevant ICD-10 codes.
- Ensuring data accuracy is paramount for reliable neonatal health research using administrative databases.
