Using text-mining techniques in electronic patient records to identify ADRs from medicine use

Pernille Warrer, Ebba Holme Hansen, Lars Juhl Jensen, Lise Aagaard

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

73 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This literature review included studies that use text-mining techniques in narrative documents stored in electronic patient records (EPRs) to investigate ADRs. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts without restrictions from origin until July 2011. We included empirically based studies on text mining of electronic patient records (EPRs) that focused on detecting ADRs, excluding those that investigated adverse events not related to medicine use. We extracted information on study populations, EPR data sources, frequencies and types of the identified ADRs, medicines associated with ADRs, text-mining algorithms used and their performance. Seven studies, all from the United States, were eligible for inclusion in the review. Studies were published from 2001, the majority between 2009 and 2010. Text-mining techniques varied over time from simple free text searching of outpatient visit notes and inpatient discharge summaries to more advanced techniques involving natural language processing (NLP) of inpatient discharge summaries. Performance appeared to increase with the use of NLP, although many ADRs were still missed. Due to differences in study design and populations, various types of ADRs were identified and thus we could not make comparisons across studies. The review underscores the feasibility and potential of text mining to investigate narrative documents in EPRs for ADRs. However, more empirical studies are needed to evaluate whether text mining of EPRs can be used systematically to collect new information about ADRs.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBritish Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
Volume73
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)674-684
Number of pages11
ISSN0306-5251
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2012

Keywords

  • Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems
  • Algorithms
  • Data Mining
  • Humans
  • Medical Records Systems, Computerized
  • Natural Language Processing
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Pharmacovigilance

Cite this