Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40140143›Full record

ReviewEuropean journal of epidemiology2025

Diagnostic accuracy in the Swedish national patient register: a review including diagnoses in the outpatient register.

Åsa H Everhov, Thomas Frisell, Mehdi Osooli, Hannah L Brooke, Hanne K Carlsen, Karin Modig, Karl Mårild, Jonathan Lindström, Karin Sköldin, Mona Heurgren and 2 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in European journal of epidemiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 101 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
101citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

101 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Postnatal growth and childhood asthma in preterm and full-term twins: A cohort study.Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology · 2026
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Observational
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Observational
  19. Article
  20. Article

41 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

12 authors.

Åsa H EverhovDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. asa.hallqvist-everhov@ki.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0311-8894
Thomas FrisellDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mehdi OsooliDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Hannah L BrookeMedical Epidemiology, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Hanne K CarlsenCentre of Registers Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Karin ModigUnit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Karl MårildDepartment of Pediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Jonathan LindströmDepartment of Registers and Statistics, National Board of Health and Welfare, Stockholm, Sweden.
Karin SköldinDepartment of Registers and Statistics, National Board of Health and Welfare, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mona HeurgrenDepartment of Registers and Statistics, National Board of Health and Welfare, Stockholm, Sweden.
Jonas F LudvigssonDepartment Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ola OlénDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Funding

Kommunfullmäktige, Stockholms Stad ALF Dnr 20190638Vetenskapsrådet 2021-01418Vetenskapsrådet Dnr 2020-02002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Swedish National Patient Register (NPR) is an important source of data for epidemiological research. A review in 2010 described the validity of recorded diagnoses for inpatient care, but did not include specialised outpatient care.

methodUsing systematic searches of medical literature databases (Embase, Medline), and reports from members of the Swedish Epidemiological Association, we aimed to identify all studies validating diagnoses and procedure codes in inpatient care since 2010 and all studies validating specialised outpatient care. In addition, we summarize findings from register validation work performed by the National Board of Health and Welfare.

resultsThe literature search and personal reports generated 3990 non-duplicate original studies, of which 89 were deemed relevant. Compared to data in patient charts (reference), the median positive predictive value (PPV) for diagnostic codes in the NPR was 84% (interquartile range 72-93%), but with clear differences between types of diagnoses. The median PPV for surgical procedures was 97% (86-99%). The median sensitivity of diagnoses and procedures compared to other registers and cohorts was 73% (45-80%). The completeness of the register has improved over time. Missingness originates mainly from underreporting of procedures performed by private healthcare providers, and for certain variables, e.g. medication codes.

conclusionThe NPR has good diagnostic accuracy for most diagnoses and very good for surgical procedures. The sensitivity is lower. Longitudinal comparisons of incidence or prevalence are affected by changes in completeness. Missingness is low, although it is higher among private healthcare providers and for specific variables such as drug administration.

Indexed as

Ambulatory CareDiagnosisOutpatientsRegistriesHumansReproducibility of ResultsSwedenAdministrative healthcare registerClassification of diseasesEpidemiologyNational patient registerRegisterRegister-based epidemiologySwedenValidation studies

Identifiers

PMID40140143
PMCPMC12137447

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.