Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Improving the quality of data entry in a low-budget head injury database

  • Clinical Article
  • Published:
Acta Neurochirurgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Background. To assess the efficacy of a centralised review of a voluntary low-budget head injury database with a retrospective analysis of data before and after a centralised review.

Method. A computerised data collection (Neurolink) on traumatic brain injury cases admitted to three neuro-intensive care units in Milan (Italy): analysis of a three-year period (1999–2001).

Data from 499 patients (epidemiology, type of lesion, clinical course, monitoring, treatment, complications and outcome).

The audit involved a review of forms relating to patients enrolled in the three-year period, with the aim of improving the quality of data entry. Missing data in all empty fields were identified; evident errors and contradictory data were identified and corrected; missing and final data were analysed to test the efficacy of the review.

Findings. The total post-review missing data rate was significantly lower than the paired pre-review missing data rate (p = 0.001).

The same was confirmed for each of the 3 years (p = 0.001 for each year). The missing data rate significantly improved over the three-year period (p = 0.001). Data for the pre-hospitalisation period had the highest missing rates; data regarding the ICU stay showed the greatest improvement after the review. A total of 407 items (0.44%) were identified as errors.

Conclusions. Data quality is fundamental to avoid information bias in database analysis. This study indicates that it is possible to generate a serious data collection without significant resources. Audit seems to be an important tool before the final data is used for scientific projects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • DG Arts NF De Keizer GJ Scheffer (2002) ArticleTitleDefining and improving data quality in medical registries: a literature review, case study, and generic framework J Am Med Inform Assoc 9 600–611 Occurrence Handle12386111 Occurrence Handle10.1197/jamia.M1087

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • D Arts N de Keizer GJ Scheffer E de Jonge (2002) ArticleTitleQuality of data collected for severity of illness scores in the Dutch National Intensive Care Evaluation (NICE) registry Intensive Care Med 28 656–659 Occurrence Handle12029418 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00134-002-1272-z

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • L Beretta E Grandi G Citerio M Cormio N Stocchetti (2003) ArticleTitle“Neuro-Link”, an Italian Traumatic Coma Data Bank: what did we learn from the first 1000 patients and how can we do better? Minerva Anestesiol 69 223–226 Occurrence Handle12766711 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3s3ksVWjsA%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • G Citerio N Stocchetti M Cormio L Beretta (2000) ArticleTitleNeuro-link, a computer-assisted database for head injury in intensive care Acta Neurochir (Wien) 142 769–776 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s007010070091 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M%2Fmt1Wrtw%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • LG Fine BE Keogh S Cretin M Orlando MG Gould (2003) ArticleTitleHow to evaluate and improve the quality and credibility of an outcomes database: validation and feedback study on the UK cardiac surgery experience BMJ 326 25–28 Occurrence Handle12511458 Occurrence Handle10.1136/bmj.326.7379.25

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • FL Grover LW Shroyer FH Edwards WE Pae B Ferguson WA Gay RE Clark (1996) ArticleTitleData quality review program: the society of thoracic surgeons adult cardiac national database Ann Thoracic Surg 62 1229–1231 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0003-4975(96)00589-9 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK28vitVCgsg%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T Hlaing L Hollister M Aaland (2006) ArticleTitleTrauma registry data validation: essential for quality trauma care J Trauma 61 1400–1407 Occurrence Handle17159683 Occurrence Handle10.1097/01.ta.0000195732.64475.87

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • B Jennet GM Teasdale S Galbraith J Pikard H Grant R Braakman C Avezaat A Mass J Minderhoud CJ Vecht J Maiden R Small W Caton T Kurze (1997) ArticleTitleSevere head injuries in three countries J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 40 291–298

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuntoro RE LaPorte S Mazumdar (1994) ArticleTitleApproaches to quality control with an application to a new cancer registry in a developing country J Clin Epidemiol 47 779–786 Occurrence Handle7722591 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0895-4356(94)90175-9 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2M3jvFakuw%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • JL Malin KL Kahn J Adams L Kwan M Laouri PA Ganz (2002) ArticleTitleValidity of cancer registry data for measuring the quality of breast cancer care J Natl Cancer Inst 5 835–844

    Google Scholar 

  • LF Marshall DP Becker SA Bowers C Cayard H Eisenberg CR Gross RG Grossman JA Jane SC Kunitz R Rimel K Tabaddor J Warren (1983) ArticleTitleThe national traumatic coma data bank. Part 1: Design, purpose, goals, and results J Neurosurg 59 276–284 Occurrence Handle6345728 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL3s3ktVOqtQ%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • LF Marshall AI Maas SB Marshall A Bricolo M Fearnside F Iannotti MR Klauber J Lagarrigue R Lobato L Persson JD Pickard J Piek F Servadei GN Wellis GF Morris ED Means B Musch (1998) ArticleTitleA multicenter trial on the efficacy of using tirilazad mesylate in cases of head injury J Neurosurg 89 519–525 Occurrence Handle9761043 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXit1Smsbg%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • GD Murray GM Teasdale R Braakman F Cohadon M Dearden F Iannotti A Karimi F Lapierre A Maas J Ohman L Persson F Servadei N Stocchetti T Trojanowski A Untermberg (1999) ArticleTitleThe European Brain Injury Consortium survey of head injury Acta Neurochir (Wien) 141 223–236 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s007010050292 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1M3jtFSqsQ%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • D Ricketts M Newey M Patterson D Hitchin S Fowler (1993) ArticleTitleMarkers of data quality in computer audit: the Manchester orthopaedic database Ann R Coll Surg Engl 75 393–396 Occurrence Handle8285541 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2c7htlGgtA%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • AL Shroyer FH Edwards FL Grover (1998) ArticleTitleUpdates to the data quality review program: the society of thoracic surgeons adult cardiac national database Ann Thor Surg 65 1494–1497 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0003-4975(98)00261-6 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c3lslalsA%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • N Stocchetti KI Penny M Dearden R Braakman F Cohadon F Iannotti F Lapierre A Karimi AJ Maas GD Murrey J Ohman L Persson F Servadei GM Teasdale T Trojanowski A Untemberg InstitutionalAuthorNameEuropean Brain Injury Consortium (2001) ArticleTitleIntensive care management of head-injured patients in Europe: a survey from the European Brain Injury Consortium Intensive Care Med 27 400–406 Occurrence Handle11396285 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s001340000825 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD38%2FhtF2htQ%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • AA Warsi S White P McCulloch (2002) ArticleTitleCompleteness of data entry in three cancer surgery databases Eur J Surg Oncol 28 850–856 Occurrence Handle12477477 Occurrence Handle10.1053/ejso.2002.1283 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD38jhsFKksQ%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurointensive Care Unit, IRCCS Ospedale S. Raffaele, Milano, Italy

    L. Beretta, V. Aldrovandi & E. Grandi

  2. Neurointensive Care Unit, Ospedale S. Gerardo, Monza, Italy

    G. Citerio

  3. Neuroscience ICU, Milan University, Ospedale Maggiore, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena IRCCS, Milano, Italy

    N. Stocchetti

Authors
  1. L. Beretta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. Aldrovandi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Grandi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. Citerio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. N. Stocchetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Beretta, L., Aldrovandi, V., Grandi, E. et al. Improving the quality of data entry in a low-budget head injury database. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 149, 903–909 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-007-1257-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-007-1257-3

Search

Navigation