The Danish Vascular Registry, Karbase.
OBJECTIVE
The Danish Vascular Registry (DVR), Karbase, is monitoring arterial and advanced vein interventions conducted at all vascular departments in Denmark. The main aim of the DVR is to improve the quality of treatment for patients undergoing vascular surgery in Denmark by using the registry for quality assessment and research.


METHODS
All patients undergoing vascular interventions (surgical and endovascular) at any vascular department in Denmark are registered in the DVR. The DVR was initiated in 1989, and each year, ∼9,000 procedures are added. By January 2016, >180,000 procedures have been recorded. Since 2001, data completeness has been >90% (compared to the Danish National Patient Register).


METHODS
Variables include information on descriptive patient data (ie, age, sex, height, and weight) and comorbidity (ie, previous cardiovascular disease and diabetes). Process variable includes waiting time (time from event to medical contact and treatment) and the type of procedures conducted. Outcome variables for in-hospital complications (ie, wound complications, myocardial infarction, stroke, amputation, respiratory complications, and renal insufficiency) and 30-day patency are submitted. Variables for medical treatment (antithrombotic and statin treatment), amputation, and survival are extracted from nationwide, administrative registers.


CONCLUSIONS
The DVR reports outcome on key indicators for monitoring the quality at all vascular departments in Denmark for the purpose of quality improvement. Furthermore, data are available for research and are being used in international collaborations on changes in clinical practices.
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital; Karbase, The Danish Vascular Registry, Aarhus.
Nikolaj
N
Eldrup
Registry Support Centre (East) - Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Capital Region of Denmark.
Charlotte
C
Cerqueira
Karbase, The Danish Vascular Registry, Aarhus; Department of Vascular Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen.
Louise
L
de la Motte
Karbase, The Danish Vascular Registry, Aarhus; Department of Vascular Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen.
Lisbet Knudsen
LK
Rathenborg
Karbase, The Danish Vascular Registry, Aarhus; Department of Vascular Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Allan K
AK
Hansen
clinical registry; quality of care; vascular surgery