A systematic review of codelists to identify chronic bronchitis and emphysema in routine electronic healthcare record data and derivation of a standardized codelist for future research
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Medical codes and codelists are essential to identify diseases, medicines, and related events when using electronic healthcare records (EHRs) for research. As multiple codes can be used to define the same medical condition, an inconsistency of applying codes by clinicians or researchers may complicate the identification of diseases. To minimize the inconsistency of codes and increase the comparability of research findings, we sought to integrate all medical codes and codelists generated from existing studies to produce a single list of codes for both chronic bronchitis and emphysema for future research. We systematically reviewed studies, which included codes used to define chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema regardless of code systems. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and Global Health from 1st January 2000 to May 2024 for relevant studies. Medical codes or codelists were identified, extracted, and compiled into single codelists for chronic bronchitis and emphysema separately based on their frequency of appearance across all included studies (PROSPERO: CRD42024529169). We identified 18 studies containing codelists, from a total of 1082 studies. Only International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes were found in studies, which defined chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis was defined as 490 and 491 in ICD-9 and J40, J41, J42, and J44 in ICD-10. Meanwhile, emphysema was defined as 492 in ICD-9 and J43 in ICD-10. Additionally, to fill the current gap, we created SNOMED CT codelists for both chronic bronchitis and emphysema, to standardize the definitions of these diseases in future studies.
Date Issued
2025-05-23
Date Acceptance
2025-04-29
Citation
The International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 2025, 20, pp.1679-1691
ISSN
1176-9106
Publisher
Dove Medical Press
Start Page
1679
End Page
1691
Journal / Book Title
The International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Volume
20
Copyright Statement
© 2025 Kwok et al. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v4.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php).
License URL
Identifier
10.2147/COPD.S501421
Subjects
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
bronchitis
emphysema
phenotype
code systems
disease definition
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2025-05-23