Accuracy of cryptorchidism diagnoses and corrective surgical treatment registration in the Danish National Patient Registry

TY - JOUR

T1 - Accuracy of cryptorchidism diagnoses and corrective surgical treatment registration in the Danish National Patient Registry

AU - Jensen, M S

AU - Snerum, T M Ø

AU - Olsen, L H

AU - Thulstrup, A M

AU - Bonde, J P

AU - Olsen, J

AU - Henriksen, T B

N1 - Copyright © 2012 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2012/10

Y1 - 2012/10

N2 - Purpose: In recent years several Danish studies of the etiology, time trends and long-term health consequences of cryptorchidism have relied on diagnoses and surgical treatments registered in the National Patient Registry. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of these registry data. Materials and Methods: According to the Danish National Patient Registry, 16,168 males were diagnosed with cryptorchidism and 9,244 surgical treatments for cryptorchidism were performed between January 1, 1995 and October 10, 2009. We randomly selected 500 diagnosed cases, of which 284 had been managed surgically. We requested the medical records from the departments making the diagnoses and performing the surgery. Results: We successfully retrieved medical records for 452 diagnosed cases (90%) and 249 operations (88%). Overall positive predictive value of a registry diagnosis of cryptorchidism was 80% (95% CI 77-84) using the testicular position described by the physician performing the clinical examination as the gold standard. Similarly the positive predictive value of the surgical treatment registration was 99% (95% CI 98-100) using the type of procedure performed. Conclusions: The data on cryptorchidism in the Danish National Patient Registry are quite accurate. In etiological research the limited misclassification will in most cases only slightly attenuate estimates of the true relative association. Thus, the registry has the potential to serve as a valuable research tool, although caution should be exercised when studying time trends or geographical differences.

AB - Purpose: In recent years several Danish studies of the etiology, time trends and long-term health consequences of cryptorchidism have relied on diagnoses and surgical treatments registered in the National Patient Registry. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of these registry data. Materials and Methods: According to the Danish National Patient Registry, 16,168 males were diagnosed with cryptorchidism and 9,244 surgical treatments for cryptorchidism were performed between January 1, 1995 and October 10, 2009. We randomly selected 500 diagnosed cases, of which 284 had been managed surgically. We requested the medical records from the departments making the diagnoses and performing the surgery. Results: We successfully retrieved medical records for 452 diagnosed cases (90%) and 249 operations (88%). Overall positive predictive value of a registry diagnosis of cryptorchidism was 80% (95% CI 77-84) using the testicular position described by the physician performing the clinical examination as the gold standard. Similarly the positive predictive value of the surgical treatment registration was 99% (95% CI 98-100) using the type of procedure performed. Conclusions: The data on cryptorchidism in the Danish National Patient Registry are quite accurate. In etiological research the limited misclassification will in most cases only slightly attenuate estimates of the true relative association. Thus, the registry has the potential to serve as a valuable research tool, although caution should be exercised when studying time trends or geographical differences.

U2 - 10.1016/j.juro.2012.06.045

DO - 10.1016/j.juro.2012.06.045

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22902026

SN - 0022-5347

VL - 188

SP - 1324

EP - 1329

JO - Journal of Urology

JF - Journal of Urology

IS - 4

ER -