Reviewer's report
Title:Validation of coding algorithms for the identification of patients hospitalized
for alcoholic hepatitis using administrative data
Version:1Date:13 April 2015
Reviewer: Ankur Srivastava
Reviewer's report:
Summary:
Dr Pang and colleagues have presented a retrospective observational study with
the primary objective of validating hospital database dependent coding
algorithms for identification of patients hospitalized for autoimmune hepatitis (AH)
to guide reliability of relevant epidemiologic studies. There is no control group
and the diagnostic criteria for AH is purposively inclusive as acknowledged by the
authors (line 280). The conclusions suggest that hospital coding for AH is
sub-optimal, although can be optimized by limiting to patients with AH in the
primary diagnosis field. They suggest that the use of administrative data in
epidemiologic studies of AH should be undertaken cautiously.
1. Major Compulsory Revisions: Nil
2. Minor Essential Revisions: nil
3. Discretionary Revisions
My only significant suggestion relates to the important conclusion (line 240)
which states that the PPV improves to 89% when AH is recorded in the primary
search field. I personally feel this is a very important (and predictable) finding and
the authors may wish to highlight the importance of this fact in their abstracts and
conclusions (not mentioned in the conclusion) as this has important implications
for the methodology of those conducting epidemiologic studies in the future.
Additional comments:
Overall, this was an interesting paper to review and highlighted the difficulties
that can be encountered when using administrative databases to develop
epidemiologic data. The research question is easily identified (line 72) and the
primary objective is to validate coding algorithms for the identification of patients
hospitalized for AH using administrative data. The research question can be
considered useful for those that conduct epidemiologic studies and also
highlights to those that are not so familiar with these studies the caution required
with administrative data based studies. The methods appear to be appropriate.
The question with this type of study relating to AH will always relate to the
diagnostic criteria of AH, but the authors have used established criteria for the
diagnosis and appropriately referenced the source for this. There is no control
group, and this is acknowledged by the authors several times in the manuscript.
The interpretation of the results is well balanced, and unbiased. There is due
recognition of the limitations of the study and there is appropriate referencing.
The article was easy to read and the quality of written English was acceptable.
The authors have made relevant declarations. There appears to be no ethical or
competing interests issues.
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
Reviewer's report
Title:Validation of coding algorithms for the identification of patients hospitalized
for alcoholic hepatitis using administrative data
Version:1Date:13 April 2015
Reviewer: Ankur Srivastava
Reviewer's report:
Summary:
Dr Pang and colleagues have presented a retrospective observational study with
the primary objective of validating hospital database dependent coding
algorithms for identification of patients hospitalized for autoimmune hepatitis (AH)
to guide reliability of relevant epidemiologic studies. There is no control group
and the diagnostic criteria for AH is purposively inclusive as acknowledged by the
authors (line 280). The conclusions suggest that hospital coding for AH is
sub-optimal, although can be optimized by limiting to patients with AH in the
primary diagnosis field. They suggest that the use of administrative data in
epidemiologic studies of AH should be undertaken cautiously.
1. Major Compulsory Revisions: Nil
2. Minor Essential Revisions: nil
3. Discretionary Revisions
My only significant suggestion relates to the important conclusion (line 240)
which states that the PPV improves to 89% when AH is recorded in the primary
search field. I personally feel this is a very important (and predictable) finding and
the authors may wish to highlight the importance of this fact in their abstracts and
conclusions (not mentioned in the conclusion) as this has important implications
for the methodology of those conducting epidemiologic studies in the future.
Additional comments:
Overall, this was an interesting paper to review and highlighted the difficulties
that can be encountered when using administrative databases to develop
epidemiologic data. The research question is easily identified (line 72) and the
primary objective is to validate coding algorithms for the identification of patients
hospitalized for AH using administrative data. The research question can be
considered useful for those that conduct epidemiologic studies and also
highlights to those that are not so familiar with these studies the caution required
with administrative data based studies. The methods appear to be appropriate.
The question with this type of study relating to AH will always relate to the
diagnostic criteria of AH, but the authors have used established criteria for the
diagnosis and appropriately referenced the source for this. There is no control
group, and this is acknowledged by the authors several times in the manuscript.
The interpretation of the results is well balanced, and unbiased. There is due
recognition of the limitations of the study and there is appropriate referencing.
The article was easy to read and the quality of written English was acceptable.
The authors have made relevant declarations. There appears to be no ethical or
competing interests issues.
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Validation of coding algorithms for the identification of patients hospitalized
for alcoholic hepatitis using administrative data
Version:1Date:13 April 2015
Reviewer: Ankur Srivastava
Reviewer's report:
Summary:
Dr Pang and colleagues have presented a retrospective observational study with
the primary objective of validating hospital database dependent coding
algorithms for identification of patients hospitalized for autoimmune hepatitis (AH)
to guide reliability of relevant epidemiologic studies. There is no control group
and the diagnostic criteria for AH is purposively inclusive as acknowledged by the
authors (line 280). The conclusions suggest that hospital coding for AH is
sub-optimal, although can be optimized by limiting to patients with AH in the
primary diagnosis field. They suggest that the use of administrative data in
epidemiologic studies of AH should be undertaken cautiously.
1. Major Compulsory Revisions: Nil
2. Minor Essential Revisions: nil
3. Discretionary Revisions
My only significant suggestion relates to the important conclusion (line 240)
which states that the PPV improves to 89% when AH is recorded in the primary
search field. I personally feel this is a very important (and predictable) finding and
the authors may wish to highlight the importance of this fact in their abstracts and
conclusions (not mentioned in the conclusion) as this has important implications
for the methodology of those conducting epidemiologic studies in the future.
Additional comments:
Overall, this was an interesting paper to review and highlighted the difficulties
that can be encountered when using administrative databases to develop
epidemiologic data. The research question is easily identified (line 72) and the
primary objective is to validate coding algorithms for the identification of patients
hospitalized for AH using administrative data. The research question can be
considered useful for those that conduct epidemiologic studies and also
highlights to those that are not so familiar with these studies the caution required
with administrative data based studies. The methods appear to be appropriate.
The question with this type of study relating to AH will always relate to the
diagnostic criteria of AH, but the authors have used established criteria for the
diagnosis and appropriately referenced the source for this. There is no control
group, and this is acknowledged by the authors several times in the manuscript.
The interpretation of the results is well balanced, and unbiased. There is due
recognition of the limitations of the study and there is appropriate referencing.
The article was easy to read and the quality of written English was acceptable.
The authors have made relevant declarations. There appears to be no ethical or
competing interests issues.
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
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