Key result
The sensitivity of ICD-9-CM codes for identifying hyponatremia in outpatient professional claims was only 3.5%, indicating that administrative data alone are insufficient to identify the condition.
Why the study?
Are ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes sensitive for identifying hyponatremia in an outpatient managed care population?
Observational (n=40,668)
Yes
Are ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes sensitive for identifying hyponatremia in an outpatient managed care population?
Effect estimate: Sensitivity 3.5%
ICD-9-CM codes in administrative claims data have very low sensitivity and are insufficient to accurately identify hyponatremia in outpatient populations.
Clinicians should not rely on ICD-9-CM codes alone to identify outpatient hyponatremia; leaves open the need for validated algorithms in claims-based research.
BACKGROUND: Administrative claims are a rich source of information for epidemiological and health services research; however, the ability to accurately capture specific diseases or complications using claims data has been debated. In this study, the authors examined the validity of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis codes for the identification of hyponatremia in an outpatient managed care population. METHODS: We analyzed outpatient laboratory and professional claims for patients aged 18 years and older in the National Managed Care Benchmark Database from Integrated Healthcare Information Services. We obtained all claims for outpatient serum sodium laboratory tests performed in 2004 and 2005, and all outpatient professional claims with a primary or secondary ICD-9-CM diagnosis code of hyponatremia (276.1). RESULTS: A total of 40,668 outpatient serum sodium laboratory results were identified as hyponatremic (serum sodium < 136 mmol/L). The sensitivity of ICD-9-CM codes for hyponatremia in outpatient professional claims within 15 days before or after the laboratory date was 3.5%. Even for severe cases (serum sodium < or = 125 mmol/L), sensitivity was < 30%. Specificity was > 99% for all cutoff points. CONCLUSION: ICD-9-CM codes in administrative data are insufficient to identify hyponatremia in an outpatient population.
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Shea et al. (2008) conducted an observational in Hyponatremia (n=40,668). ICD-9-CM diagnosis code for hyponatremia (276.1) vs. Laboratory serum sodium < 136 mmol/L (gold standard) was evaluated on Sensitivity of ICD-9-CM codes for hyponatremia (Sensitivity 3.5%). The sensitivity of ICD-9-CM codes for identifying hyponatremia in outpatient professional claims was only 3.5%, indicating that administrative data alone are insufficient to identify the condition.
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