HOSPITAL DISCHARGE REGISTER DATA IN THE ASSESSMENT OF TRENDS IN ACUTEMYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

We evaluated the reliability hospital discharge register data in the a ssessment of acute myocardial infarction trends, In the FINMONICA stud y areas, trends in age standardized attack rates for the years 1983-90 were calculated independently from two sources: the nationwide Finnis h hospital discharge register and the FINMONICA acute myocardial infar ction register, The trends were compared by a statistical regression m odel, The trends obtained from the hospital discharge register were ve ry similar to the trends obtained from the FINMONICA acute myocardial infarction register, The attack rates differed significantly, however, and the change in the International Classification of Diseases versio n from version 8 to version 9 brought on a change in the attack rates obtained from the hospital discharge register. Thus, hospital discharg e register data can be used to assess acute myocardial infarction tren ds in the community, However, modifications of the International Class ification of Diseases codes (new versions of the classification) and c hanges in the clinical use of the codes for coronary heart disease can have an impact on the attack rates obtained from the hospital dischar ge register, and the reliability of the hospital discharge register da ta should be regularly assessed.