Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23721155›Full record

ArticleBMC medical research methodology2013

Validation of a registry-derived risk algorithm based on treatment protocol as a proxy for disease risk in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Sumit Gupta, Jason D Pole, Astrid Guttmann, Lillian Sung

Abstract readComparative StudyValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical research methodology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Sumit GuptaDivision of Haematology/Oncology and Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada. sumit.gupta@sickkids.ca
Jason D Pole
Astrid Guttmann
Lillian Sung

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdministrative databases and cancer registries are frequently used to conduct population-based research, but often lack clinical data necessary for risk stratification. Our objective was to determine the criterion validity of a risk-stratification algorithm based on treatment characteristics available from a pediatric cancer registry as a proxy for disease risk, by comparing it to traditional biology-based risk classifications.

methodsWe identified all children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosed at a single institution between January 2000 and June 2011, and linked them to a population-based cancer registry. Several risk algorithms were then constructed using disease risk variables collected through chart review by a pediatric oncologist, and compared to a risk algorithm based on treatment protocol name and age, available from the registry.

resultsOf 596 patients identified, 579 (97.1%) met inclusion criteria and were successfully linked. The registry-based algorithm showed almost perfect agreement with a biology-based algorithm based on age, initial white blood cell count, immunophenotype and cytogenetics (kappa=0.85, 95th confidence interval 0.81-0.90). Discrepant cases were often due to the presence of unusual high risk features not captured by standard disease-risk variables but reflected in clinicians' choices of higher intensity treatment protocols.

conclusionsProtocol name represents a valid proxy of disease risk, allowing for risk stratification while conducting comparative effectiveness research using cancer registries and health services data. Future studies should examine the validity of treatment-based risk algorithms in other malignancies and using other treatment characteristics commonly found in health services data, such as the receipt of specific chemotherapeutic agents.

Indexed as

Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-LymphomaRegistriesAdolescentAlgorithmsChildChild, PreschoolClinical ProtocolsComparative Effectiveness ResearchFemaleHumansInfantMaleRisk Assessment

Identifiers

PMID23721155
PMCPMC3679990

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.