Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis

Validity of paediatric thrombosis diagnoses in a national registry of patients

Abstract number: PP-TH-455

Tuckuviene¹ R., Helgestad² J., Johnsen³ S.P., Kristensen⁴ S.R.

¹¹Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Department of Paediatrics ²²Department of Paediatrics, Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg ³³Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus ⁴⁴Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark

How-to-cite Tuckuviene R, Helgestad J, Johnsen SP, Kristensen SR. Validity of paediatric thrombosis diagnoses in a national registry of patients. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis 2009; Volume 7, Supplement 2: Abstract PP-TH-455

Validity of paediatric thrombosis diagnoses in a National Registry of Patients. Population-based register data are useful tools in epidemiological research, provided that registrations are valid. The present study was performed to investigate the validity of diagnoses of paediatric venous and arterial thrombosis in the Danish National Patient Registry (DNRP).

Methods: All first-time venous and arterial thrombosis diagnoses in DNPR were identified among children and adolescents (newborns to 18 years) between 1994 and 2006. All cases were validated of an experienced paediatrician by reviewing medical files using a structured scheme. Positive predictive value (PPV) was calculated for the group overall and in neonates (< 28 days), children (28 days–15 years) and adolescents (15–18 years).

Results: In total, 1180 potential cases of thrombosis have been identified of which 1111 (94%) medical records have been retrieved and reviewed. The diagnosis of symptomatic thrombosis was verified in 602 of the 1111 possible cases, corresponding to an overall PPV of 54.2% (95% CI: 51.2–57.1). Diagnoses of venous thromboembolism (deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary emboli) were overall confirmed in 315 of 607 cases (52%), with neonatal diagnoses in 22 of 28 cases (79%). In contrast, in children and adolescents the same diagnoses were confirmed in only 39 of 136 cases (29%) and in 254 of 443 cases (57%), respectively. Diagnoses of cerebral sinus vein thrombosis were verified in 36 of 54 cases (67%); newborns comprised seven of eight cases and adolescents 17 out of 22 cases. Arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) diagnoses were overall confirmed in 209 of 346 cases (60%). Verified AIS diagnoses were found in 46 out of 63 neonates, in 130 of 208 children and 33 of 75 adolescents.

Conclusions: Almost half of the diagnoses of venous and arterial thrombosis could not be confirmed. Data in children and adolescents should be used with caution, whereas data of diagnoses in neonates are more reliable.

Disclosure of interest: none declared.

To cite this abstract use the following format:

Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis 2007; Volume 5, Supplement 2: abstract number

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