Abstract #7: Identifying Potential Subjects for Tourette Syndrome Clinical Research

• Published in: Neurotherapeutics Vol. 6; no. 3; p. 606
• Main Authors: Shprecher, David, Rubenstein, Lindsay A., Wang, Dongwen, Kurlan, Roger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-07-2009
• ISSN: 1933-7213; 1878-7479; 1878-7479
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nurt.2009.03.008

To compare two different approaches for identifying appropriate potential subjects for a clinical research study in TS.
We planned to recruit TS patients for a research protocol requiring age range 21–50 and that subjects be off psychotropic medication for at least six months prior to enrollment.
Using an electronic billing system, we obtained date of birth for individuals seen in our TS clinic between 1998 and 2000. Based on this, we identified those in the age range for inclusion. We also reviewed paper medical records of all patients seen in our clinic from 2006 through 2008 and identified those in the proper age range. These potentially eligible subjects were then categorized based upon use of psychotropic medication.
Of 128 patients with a diagnosis of TS listed in the electronic billing system, 69 met the criteria for age. Of 328 medical records reviewed, 77 met the criteria for age. Chart review of these 77 cases found that only 8 were not taking psychotropic medication, 48 were taking tic suppressing medication, and 21 were taking psychotropic medication for OCD, ADHD, or depression. Additional potential subjects were found from the family members of 72 reviewed cases. The electronic billing record search required only minutes to complete, while the record review required about 15 hours of effort.
Identifying potential subjects from an existing patient pool is a critical step for clinical research study recruitment. The medical record review allowed acquisition of information about medication use and family history that was not available through a query of the electronic billing data. Disadvantages of the chart review might be overcome through use of an electronic database that contains specific information relevant to subject recruitment for research. However, given the reality that no single system may contain all the information needed for clinical research recruitment, a more practical approach will be to integrate the two methods (initial screening using an electronic system followed by chart review to extract more detailed information).