title: Improving efficiency of stroke research: the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi study.
abstract: We studied whether a computer algorithm or abstractor could diagnose stroke as well as a fellowship-trained stroke neurologist. As part of an ongoing prospective, community-based stroke surveillance project, a diagnostic algorithm was developed, and patients' neurologic signs and symptoms were collected in a computerized database. The abstractors were blinded to the results of this algorithm and were asked to verify whether the patient had a stroke. The separate results of the computer and abstractor were compared with the final diagnosis given by the blinded neurologist. From 1 January through 31 July 2000, 3418 cases were screened. The abstractors yielded sensitivity 91%, specificity 97%, positive predictive value (PPV) 85%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 99%. Three computer algorithms were evaluated. The sensitivities ranged from 83% to 96%, specificity ranged from 88% to 97%, PPV ranged from 54% to 81%, and NPV ranged from 97% to 99%. The use of computer verification or abstractors may obviate the need for physician stroke verification and may greatly improve study efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Stroke Program, Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Areej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Wabil
authors.forename: Melinda A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lemuel A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moyé
authors.forename: W Scott
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Burgin
authors.forename: Lewis B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Morgenstern
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D015588:Observer Variation; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012106:Research; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis*