[Validation of colorectal cancer diagnostic codes in a hospital administration data set].
OBJECTIVE
To validate the ability of a hospital administration data set (minimum data set [MDS]) to detect incident cases of colorectal cancer using the Murcia Cancer Registry (MCR) as the gold standard and to measure agreement between the MDS and registration of colorectal cancer.


METHODS
A cross sectional validation study of the MDS of the main hospital in the region of Murcia (Spain) was conducted. The study population consisted of incident cases of colorectal cancer in 2000 obtained from the MCR and cases in the MDS of the above-mentioned hospital for the same year with an ICD-9 diagnostic code between 153.0 and 154.1, eliminating readmissions. During the process, two analyses were performed: one analysis with the principal diagnosis only and another with all the diagnostic codes. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and agreement was calculated with their 95% confidence intervals (CI).


RESULTS
With the first diagnosis only, the MDS detected 80% of the incident cases of colorectal cancer with a PPV of 75%. With all the diagnoses, the MDS detected 85% of the cases with a PPV of 64%. The agreement in codification was high at three digits (kappa 88% [95% CI, 0.79-0.97] first diagnosis, 89% [95% CI, 0.80-0.97] all diagnoses) as well as at four digits (kappa 77% [IC, 0.68-0.85] first diagnosis, 78% [95% CI, 0.70-0.86] all diagnoses) in both analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
Because of its high sensitivity, the MDS is a good source for detecting incident cases of cancer. The high agreement found in the site of colorectal cancer helps to consolidate the MDS as a data source for cancer registration.
Márquez Cid
Mirari
M
Servicio de Epidemiología, Consejería de Sanidad de la Región de Murcia, Murcia, España. mirari.marquez@carm.es
Valera Niñirola
Isabel
I
Chirlaque López
María Dolores
MD
Tortosa Martínez
Jacinta
J
Párraga Sánchez
Encarnación
E
Navarro Sánchez
Carmen
C
D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006753:Hospital Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries; D013030:Spain