Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41530790›Full record

ArticleBMC research notes2026

Harmonising definitions of multiple long term conditions for inflammation research: a co-production approach.

Daniel Asfaw, Charlotte Davies, Elena Kulinskaya, Tahmina Zebin, Min Hane Aung, Christopher Fox, Benedict Alan Harries Jones, Jasmyn Gooding, John Ford, Alexander J MacGregor

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC research notes, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Daniel AsfawUniversity of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4841-167X
Charlotte DaviesUniversity of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. charlotte.davies@uea.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4388-6676
Elena KulinskayaLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9843-1663
Tahmina ZebinBrunel University, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0437-0570
Min Hane AungUniversity of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4376-0849
Christopher FoxNIHR Health technology research centre University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9480-5704
Benedict Alan Harries JonesEvergreen Life, Manchester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1924-0560
Jasmyn GoodingUniversity of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-9169-8536
John FordQueen Mary, University of London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8033-7081
Alexander J MacGregorUniversity of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2163-2325

Funding

National Institute for Health and Care Research NIHR205461
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveInflammation is implicated in many chronic diseases, but its role in driving multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) remains unclear. The InflAIM programme aims to explore this potential link. Existing MLTC codelists are valuable but have not been designed for inflammation-focused research and often lack harmonisation across coding systems. This work aimed to develop a transparent, co-produced MLTC framework with harmonised codelists for epidemiological research, focusing on inflammatory conditions within the InflAIM programme.

resultsUsing a systematic, co-produced approach, we combined literature review, clinical consensus, and patient input. From 8 sources, 363 candidate conditions were identified, refined to 60 validated MLTCs. Patients informed terminology and diagnostic experiences. Codelists were drawn from CALIBER (43), HDR UK Phenotype Library (4), MULTIPLY (8), with 7 developed de novo. Harmonisation covered Read v2, SNOMED CT, and Medcodeids. Quality assurance excluded 16.5% of codes and resolved 92 overlaps.We produced harmonised codelists for 60 MLTCs, comprising 7,426 validated MedCodeids. Clinical consensus identified 17 conditions with significant inflammatory components. Additional lists were developed for autoimmune and infectious diseases to support inflammation-focused analyses. This framework extends existing resources to meet the needs of inflammation-focused research, offering a transparent, harmonised, and patient-informed foundation for the InflAIM programme.

Indexed as

InflammationTerminology as TopicChronic DiseaseHumansCo-productionElectronic health recordsInflammationMedical codingMultimorbidityMultiple long-term conditionsPatient and public involvement

Identifiers

PMID41530790
PMCPMC12888286

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.