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Sydes MR, Murray ML, Ahmed S, Apostolidou S, Bliss JM, Bloomfield C, Cannings-John R, Carpenter J, Clayton T, Clout M, Cosgriff R, Farrin AJ, Gentry-Maharaj A, Gilbert DC, Harper C, James ND, Langley RE, Lessels S, Lugg-Widger F, Mackenzie IS, Mafham M, Menon U, Mintz H, Pinches H, Robling M, Wright-Hughes A, Yorke-Edwards V, Love SB. Getting our ducks in a row: The need for data utility comparisons of healthcare systems data for clinical trials. Contemp Clin Trials 2024; 141:107514. [PMID: 38537901 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2024.107514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Better use of healthcare systems data, collected as part of interactions between patients and the healthcare system, could transform planning and conduct of randomised controlled trials. Multiple challenges to widespread use include whether healthcare systems data captures sufficiently well the data traditionally captured on case report forms. "Data Utility Comparison Studies" (DUCkS) assess the utility of healthcare systems data for RCTs by comparison to data collected by the trial. Despite their importance, there are few published UK examples of DUCkS. METHODS-AND-RESULTS Building from ongoing and selected recent examples of UK-led DUCkS in the literature, we set out experience-based considerations for the conduct of future DUCkS. Developed through informal iterative discussions in many forums, considerations are offered for planning, protocol development, data, analysis and reporting, with comparisons at "patient-level" or "trial-level", depending on the item of interest and trial status. DISCUSSION DUCkS could be a valuable tool in assessing where healthcare systems data can be used for trials and in which trial teams can play a leading role. There is a pressing need for trials to be more efficient in their delivery and research waste must be reduced. Trials have been making inconsistent use of healthcare systems data, not least because of an absence of evidence of utility. DUCkS can also help to identify challenges in using healthcare systems data, such as linkage (access and timing) and data quality. We encourage trial teams to incorporate and report DUCkS in trials and funders and data providers to support them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Sydes
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK; Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), London, UK; BHF Data Science Centre, Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), London, UK.
| | - Macey L Murray
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK; Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), London, UK.
| | - Saiam Ahmed
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK; UCL Comprehensive Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Sophia Apostolidou
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Judith M Bliss
- Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit, Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
| | - Claire Bloomfield
- Insitro Inc, San Francisco, CA, USA; NHS Transformation Directorate, NHS England & NHS Improvement, London, UK.
| | | | - James Carpenter
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| | - Tim Clayton
- Department of Medical Statistics and Clinical Trials Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK.
| | | | - Rebecca Cosgriff
- NHS Transformation Directorate, NHS England & NHS Improvement, London, UK.
| | - Amanda J Farrin
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Aleksandra Gentry-Maharaj
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK; Department of Women's Cancer, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Duncan C Gilbert
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Charlie Harper
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | | | - Ruth E Langley
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Sarah Lessels
- BHF Data Science Centre, Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), London, UK.
| | | | - Isla S Mackenzie
- MEMO Research, Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
| | - Marion Mafham
- Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), London, UK; Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU), NDPH, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Usha Menon
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Harriet Mintz
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK.
| | | | - Michael Robling
- Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
| | - Alexandra Wright-Hughes
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Victoria Yorke-Edwards
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK; Centre for Advanced Research Computing, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Sharon B Love
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK.
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