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Reporting of Mortality in a Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic Is Primarily a Function of the Number of Clinic Contacts and Not Disease Severity

SIMON BOND, VERNON T. FAREWELL, CATHERINE T. SCHENTAG, JERALD F. LAWLESS, and DAFNA D. GLADMAN

ABSTRACT.

Objective. To identify processes that influence data collection, particularly in the reporting of deaths in mortality studies, using patient registry data.

Methods. The University of Toronto Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic has mechanisms for patient followup and identification of deaths. Logistic regression was used to identify patient characteristics that discriminate between 2 populations of deaths, those reported under regular followup and those reported in the context of special studies. Factors examined were based on information available at the patients' last clinic visit and the pattern of patients' clinic visits.

Results. A clear relationship was found between the number of contacts with the clinic and rapid death reporting. However, no particular link between severity of disease and the reporting of death was apparent in this study.

Conclusion. It is recommended that research databases routinely record the time between death and reporting of death and the method of ascertaining and reporting death. More detailed information on the scheduling of clinic visits may also be helpful. (J Rheumatol 2005;32:2364-7)

Key Indexing Terms:

MORTALITY
PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS
REPORTING
DISEASE SEVERITY
PROGNOSIS

From the MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK; the Center for Prognosis Studies in Rheumatic Diseases, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto; and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

S. Bond, PhD, Research Associate; V.T. Farewell, PhD, Senior Scientist, MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health; C.T. Schentag, BSc, BAH, Research Associate, Psoriatic Arthritis Program, Toronto Western Hospital; J.F. Lawless, Professor, Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo; D.D. Gladman, MD, FRCPC, Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto, Director, Psoriatic Arthritis Program, Senior Scientist, Toronto Western Research Institute.

Address reprint requests to Dr. D.D. Gladman, Centre for Prognosis Studies in the Rheumatic Diseases, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, 1E-410B 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5T 2S8. E-mail: dafna.gladman@utoronto.ca

Accepted for publication July 25, 2005.