Possibilities and limitations of observational studies and evaluations of medical data bases

Journal/Book: In: Koller S, Reichertz PL., Überla K (Eds.): Therapiestudien, Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 1981; 528-537.

Abstract: Medical data bases are prospective registries of computerized information concerning patients with one or more diseases. Typically they contain Information an diagnosis, treatment, baseline characteristics, and follow-up. Their purposes must be carefully considered in advance if they are to be suitably designed. Medical data bases may be used to describe patients and the course of their disease, to assist in diagnosis, to study prognostic factors, and with sufficient caution, to compare treatments. Problems with the data ;themselves are likely to include insufficient attention to definition of data items, missing values, and actual errors. Problems with analysis and Interpretation include difficulties in defining time zero, complexities of subset definition, the limitations of adjustment procedures, biases in the data, and interpreting multiple comparisons. Attention to these problems should improve medical data bases and indicate the uses for which they are best suited.

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