Article

OBJECTIVES: To develop consistent variable names and a common database structure
for the data elements in the International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Data Sets.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Common
Data Elements (CDE) Project and The Executive Committee of the International SCI
Standards and Data Sets committees (ECSCI). METHODS: The NINDS CDE team creates a
variable name for each defined data element in the various International SCI Data
Sets. Members of the ECSCI review these in an iterative process to make the
variable names logical and consistent across the data sets. Following this
process, the working group for the particular data set reviews the variable
names, and further revisions and adjustments may be made. In addition, a database
structure for each data set is developed allowing data to be stored in a uniform
way in databases to promote sharing data from different studies. RESULTS: The
International SCI Data Sets variable names and database specifications will be
available through the web sites of the International Spinal Cord Society
(http://www.iscos.org.uk), the American Spinal Injury Association
(http://www.asia-spinalinjury.org) and the NINDS CDE project web site
(http://www.CommonDataElements.ninds.nih.gov). CONCLUSION: This process will
continue as additional International SCI Data Sets fulfill the requirements of
the development and approval process and are ready for implementation.

Langue : ANGLAIS