A. Lay Summary (Max. 250 words)
Researchers regularly use the CPRD GOLD Mother Baby Link to study whether exposures (prescriptions, medical conditions, etc.) that mothers experience during pregnancy have effects on the health of their children. A pilot mother-child link algorithm has been developed by the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program (BCDSP) for CPRD Aurum, similar to the one created previously for CPRD GOLD. The algorithm uses pregnancy, delivery, and birth information in combination with the general practice attended and an anonymous family number to match mothers to their children. During the algorithm development for CPRD Aurum, mother-child pairs were categorized as likely, probable, and possible depending on the data available. We will validate the CPRD Aurum algorithm using GP responses to a questionnaire, to calculate the proportion of correct mother-child matches, by likelihood classification. Additionally, matched pairs with HES linkage will be evaluated using HES APC.
Once validated, the algorithm can be used to create a Mother Baby link for the entire CPRD Aurum database. The Mother Baby Link will be available for use by the wider scientific community and will enhance the usefulness of the database for studies requiring family linkage. Specifically, the algorithm and subsequent Mother Baby link will allow researchers to develop studies of exposures in mothers during pregnancy and outcomes in their children using CPRD Aurum.
A pilot mother-child link algorithm has been developed by the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program (BCDSP) in collaboration with CPRD staff for CPRD Aurum, similar to that created previously for CPRD GOLD. If validated, it would provide additional research capacity to answer important health questions. The algorithm uses pregnancy, delivery, and birth information in combination with general practice attended and an anonymous family number to match health records of mothers to their children’s records.
We plan to send GP questionnaires to validate a sample of mother-child pairs. This assessment uses a yes or no response to the question: “Can you confirm that this is the child of this patient?” There will be no formal statistics applied. Rather, the findings will be provided to the CPRD to determine if the algorithm is adequate for developing a new mother-baby linkage. During the algorithm development, mother-child pairs were categorized as likely, probable and possible. Using GP responses to the questionnaire, we will calculate the proportion of correct mother-child matches, by likelihood classification. We will assess 100 or more matches at each likelihood level and expect >90% of likely matches and >85% of probable matches to be confirmed. We will report the confirmed proportion of possible matches. We will provide a 95% confidence interval around proportions. All in-hospital delivery dates will be validated using HES APC. This expands the validation beyond the questionnaire sample. Once validated, this algorithm will be applied to the total population of women and children in CPRD Aurum and used to establish a mother-child link, similar to the one available for CPRD GOLD. This algorithm and resulting mother-child link will become available for use by CPRD to the wider scientific community to enhance the usefulness of the database for studies requiring family linkage.
Proportion of correct mother-child matches, by likelihood classification; consistency between the estimated delivery date in CPRD Aurum and HES APC.
Susan Jick - Chief Investigator - BCDSP - Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program
Catherine Vasilakis-Scaramozza - Corresponding Applicant - BCDSP - Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program
David Neasham - Collaborator - Amgen Ltd
George Kafatos - Collaborator - Amgen Ltd
Katrina Hagberg - Collaborator - BCDSP - Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program
Rebecca Persson - Collaborator - BCDSP - Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program
HES Admitted Patient Care