Amy C Gunning1, Menco J S Niemeyer2, Mark van Heijl1, Karlijn J P van Wessem1, Ronald V Maier3, Zsolt J Balogh4, Luke P H Leenen1. 1. Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Suite: G04.228, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 2. Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Suite: G04.228, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands. m.j.s.niemeyer@umcutrecht.nl. 3. Department of Trauma Surgery, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. 4. Department of Traumatology and Surgery, John Hunter Hospital and University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Substantial difference in mortality following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) across international trauma centers has previously been demonstrated. This could be partly attributed to variability in the severity coding of the injuries. This study evaluated the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores of patients with severe TBI across three international level I trauma centers. METHODS: A total 150 patients (50 per center) were randomly selected from each respective trauma registry: University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), the Netherlands; John Hunter Hospital (JHH), Australia; and Harborview Medical Center (HMC), the United States. Reliability between coders and trauma centers was measured with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: The reliability between the coders and the original trauma registry scores was 0.50, 0.50, and 0.41 in, respectively, UMCU, JHH, and HMC. The AIS coders at UMCU scored the most AIS codes of ≥ 4. Reliability within the trauma centers was substantial in UMCU (ICC = 0.62) and HMC (ICC = 0.78) and almost perfect in JHH (ICC = 0.85). Reliability between trauma centers was 0.70 between UMCU and JHH, 0.70 between JHH and HMC, and 0.59 between UMCU and HMC. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated a substantial and almost perfect reliability of the AIS coders within the same trauma center, but variability across trauma centers. This indicates a need to improve inter-rater reliability in AIS coders and quality assessments of trauma registry data, specifically for patients with head injuries. Future research should study the effect of differences in AIS scoring on outcome predictions.
INTRODUCTION: Substantial difference in mortality following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) across international trauma centers has previously been demonstrated. This could be partly attributed to variability in the severity coding of the injuries. This study evaluated the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores of patients with severe TBI across three international level I trauma centers. METHODS: A total 150 patients (50 per center) were randomly selected from each respective trauma registry: University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), the Netherlands; John Hunter Hospital (JHH), Australia; and Harborview Medical Center (HMC), the United States. Reliability between coders and trauma centers was measured with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: The reliability between the coders and the original trauma registry scores was 0.50, 0.50, and 0.41 in, respectively, UMCU, JHH, and HMC. The AIS coders at UMCU scored the most AIS codes of ≥ 4. Reliability within the trauma centers was substantial in UMCU (ICC = 0.62) and HMC (ICC = 0.78) and almost perfect in JHH (ICC = 0.85). Reliability between trauma centers was 0.70 between UMCU and JHH, 0.70 between JHH and HMC, and 0.59 between UMCU and HMC. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated a substantial and almost perfect reliability of the AIS coders within the same trauma center, but variability across trauma centers. This indicates a need to improve inter-rater reliability in AIS coders and quality assessments of trauma registry data, specifically for patients with head injuries. Future research should study the effect of differences in AIS scoring on outcome predictions.
Authors: Pieter Joosse; Mariska A C de Jongh; C C H M Katinka van Delft-Schreurs; Michiel H J Verhofstad; J Carel Goslings Journal: Health Inf Manag Date: 2014 Impact factor: 3.185
Authors: Amy C Gunning; Koen W W Lansink; Karlijn J P van Wessem; Zsolt J Balogh; Frederick P Rivara; Ronald V Maier; Luke P H Leenen Journal: World J Surg Date: 2015-11 Impact factor: 3.352