title: Validation of hospital discharge diagnosis data for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other allied conditions.
abstract: The assumption that discharge diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other allied conditions accurately reflect patient medical records was tested using a sample of 553 hospital discharges from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. Three validation criteria were used in reviewing patient hospital records: 1) the presence of abnormal spirometry test results; 2) reference made to a previous diagnosis of one of the conditions; and 3) reports of respiratory symptoms consistent with these conditions. The findings were that 1 per cent of the 432 cases with a primary diagnosis in this disease category and 10 per cent of the 121 cases with a primary diagnosis of heart disease and a secondary diagnosis in this disease category were not supported by any of the selected criteria.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D013147:Spirometry