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European Journal of Epidemiology
Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology 11/2007

Open Access 01-11-2007 | Cardiovascular Disease

Acute myocardial infarction incidence and hospital mortality: routinely collected national data versus linkage of national registers

Authors: Huberdina L. Koek, Jan W. P. F. Kardaun, Evelien Gevers, Agnes de Bruin, Joannes B. Reitsma, Diederick E. Grobbee, Michiel L. Bots

Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology | Issue 11/2007

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Abstract

Background and Objective

To compare levels of and trends in incidence and hospital mortality of first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) based on routinely collected hospital morbidity data and on linked registers. Cases taken from routine hospital data are a mix of patients with recurrent and first events, and double counting occurs when cases are admitted for an event several times during 1 year. By linkage of registers, recurrent events and double counts can be excluded.

Study Design and Setting

In 1995 and 2000, 28,733 and 25,864 admissions for AMI were registered in the Dutch national hospital discharge register. Linkage with the population register yielded 21,565 patients with a first AMI in 1995 and 20,414 in 2000.

Results

In 1995 and 2000, the incidence based on the hospital register was higher than based on the linked registers in men (22% and 23% higher) and women (18% and 20% higher). In both years, hospital mortality based on the hospital register and on linked registers was similar. The decline in incidence between 1995 and 2000 was comparable whether based on standard hospital register data or linked data (18% and 20% in men, 15% and 17% in women). Similarly, the decline in hospital mortality was comparable using either approach (11% and 9% in both men and women).

Conclusion

Although the incidence based on routine hospital data overestimates the actual incidence of first AMI based on linked registers, hospital mortality and trends in incidence and hospital mortality are not changed by excluding recurrent events and double counts. Since trends in incidence and hospital mortality of AMI are often based on national routinely collected data, it is reassuring that our results indicate that findings from such studies are indeed valid and not biased because of recurrent events and double counts.
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Metadata
Title
Acute myocardial infarction incidence and hospital mortality: routinely collected national data versus linkage of national registers
Authors
Huberdina L. Koek
Jan W. P. F. Kardaun
Evelien Gevers
Agnes de Bruin
Joannes B. Reitsma
Diederick E. Grobbee
Michiel L. Bots
Publication date
01-11-2007
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
European Journal of Epidemiology / Issue 11/2007
Print ISSN: 0393-2990
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7284
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-007-9174-6

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