ArticleClinical epidemiology2017
Validation of autism spectrum disorder diagnoses recorded in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, 1990-2014.
Article in Clinical epidemiology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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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.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A Systematic Review of Algorithms for Identifying Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Outcomes.Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety · 2025Pooled it
- Accuracy of administrative database algorithms for autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder case ascertainment: a systematic review.Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice · 2022Pooled it
- Prenatal exposure to sedative-hypnotics and the risk of ADHD and ASD in offspring: a nationwide population-based cohort study.Archives of women's mental health · 2026Article
- Health databases and early identification of autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Article
- In-silico trials of targeted screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms using linked healthcare data: A study protocol.PloS one · 2025Article
- Article
- Data-driven identification of ageing-related diseases from electronic health records.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Maternal iodine status in a multi-ethnic UK birth cohort: associations with autism spectrum disorder.BMC pediatrics · 2020Article
- Investigating the association between early years foundation stage profile scores and subsequent diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder: a retrospective study of linked healthcare and education data.BMJ paediatrics open · 2019Article
- Maternal depression and antidepressant use during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring.Clinical epidemiology · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPrior studies have reported that the validity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses recorded in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) was high; however, diagnostic criteria and screening practices have changed since the last study was published in 2004.
objectives1) To calculate the positive predictive value (PPV) of ASD diagnoses recorded in the CPRD compared to original medical records and 2) to describe characteristics of cases and use of clinical codes that support the ASD diagnosis as recorded in the electronic data by general practitioners over time.
methodsWe identified children with a code for ASD (autism spectrum disorder, autism, Asperger's, or pervasive developmental disorder) in the CPRD from 1990 to 2014. We evaluated presence of codes in the electronic medical record indicating the presence of developmental delay, speech delay, behavioral problems, and other supporting clinical codes (e.g., therapy, referrals, etc.). We also evaluated changes in recording of these clinical codes over time. We compared the information present in the electronic medical record to original medical records for a sample of cases and calculated PPVs of ASD diagnoses recorded in the CPRD.
resultsWe identified 2154 children with a code for ASD. The mean age at diagnosis was 5.8 years, and 84% of cases were male. The majority (78.4%) had 1 ASD diagnosis code in their electronic medical record. Approximately half of the cases had a code indicating behavioral problem, developmental delay, or speech delay, and 24.7% had a code indicating specialist referral or visit. After review of original medical records, the PPV of ASD diagnoses recorded in the CPRD was 91.9%.
conclusionThe results of this study suggest that ASD diagnoses recorded in the CPRD are reliable and can be used with confidence to study ASD.
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