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PubMed2003

Identification of adverse drug reactions in geriatric inpatients using a computerised drug database.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Geriatric patients with multiple comorbidities are at high risk of experiencing an adverse drug reaction (ADR) during hospitalisation. The aim of the study was to compare the rate of ADRs as predicted by a computerised pharmacological database to the actual rate determined by direct observation in a sample of geriatric patients. STUDY DESIGN: During a 4-month period, geriatric patients were monitored using prospective observation. Patients were intensively screened for ADRs by a pharmacoepidemiological team (PET), consisting of two pharmacists and a physician. Actual ADRs detected by the PET were compared with those predicted by a computerised drug database. Furthermore, the set of actual ADRs, which resulted from drug-drug interactions (DDIs), were contrasted with potential DDIs signalled by the database. The main outcome measures were the incidence of actual ADRs. For the detection rate of the database we focused on frequent ADRs (>1% according to product information and database) and all DDIs indicated automatically by the database. RESULTS: 163 patients (121 female), mean age 79.8 +/- 7.1 years (range 60-98), were included in the study which was conducted on a geriatric rehabilitation hospital ward. The mean duration of hospitalisation was 24.3 +/- 8.4 days. Elderly patients received an average of 14.0 drugs (range 2-35) during their hospital stay. Of all patients, 60.7% experienced at least one ADR. The PET detected a total of 153 ADRs, with a mean of 0.9 ADRs per patient (range 0-5). The computerised drug database predicted an average of 309 potential ADRs for each patient; however, only 21 ADRs per patient were of high frequency. In 48% of ADR-positive patients (defined by PET) at least one of these frequent ADRs occurred.DDIs were detected by the PET in 14.7% of patients. Our database indicated a mean of 12 potential DDIs per patient. In 14 out of 24 DDI-positive patients, at least one signal indicated a real DDI. The database sensitivity was consequently 58.3%. CONCLUSION: In geriatric patients the incidence of ADRs is high. Computerised drug databases are a useful tool for detecting and avoiding ADRs. Our software, however, also produced a large number of signals that did not relate to actual ADRs found by the PET. The sheer number of these 'false' signals shows the need for refinement and optimisation of databases for daily clinical use.

Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems↗

PubMed1999

Dictated versus database-generated discharge summaries: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Hospital discharge summaries communicate information necessary for continuing patient care. They are most commonly generated by voice dictation and are often of poor quality. The objective of this study was to compare discharge summaries created by voice dictation with those generated from a clinical database. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was performed in which discharge summaries for patients discharged from a general internal medicine service at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Ottawa were created by voice dictation (151 patients) or from a database (142 patients). Patients had been admitted between September 1996 and June 1997. The trial was preceded by a baseline cohort study in which all summaries were created by dictation. For the database group, information on forms completed by housestaff was entered into a database and collated into a discharge summary. For the dictation group, housestaff dictated narrative letters. The proportion of patients for whom a summary was generated within 4 weeks of discharge was recorded. Physicians receiving the summary rated its quality, completeness, organization and timeliness on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. Housestaff preference was also determined. RESULTS: Patients in the database group and the dictation group were similar. A summary was much more likely to be generated within 4 weeks of discharge for patients in the database group than for those in the dictation group (113 [79.6%] v. 86 [57.0%]; p < 0.001). Summary quality was similar (mean rating 72.7 [standard deviation (SD) 19.3] v. 74.9 [SD 16.6]), as were assessments of completeness (73.4 [SD 19.8] v. 78.2 [SD 14.9]), organization (77.4 [SD 16.3] v. 79.3 [SD 17.2]) and timeliness (70.3 [SD 21.9] v. 66.2 [SD 25.6]). Many information items of interest were more likely to be included in the database-generated summaries. The database system created summaries faster and was preferred by housestaff. Dictated summaries in the baseline and randomized studies were similar, which indicated that the control group was not substantially different from the baseline cohort. INTERPRETATION: The database system significantly increased the likelihood that a discharge summary was created. Housestaff preferred the database system for summary generation. Physicians thought that the quality of summaries generated by the 2 methods was similar. The use of computer databases to create hospital discharge summaries is promising and merits further study and refinement.

Abstracting and Indexing↗

PubMed2001

Comparison of bibliographic databases for information on the rehabilitation of people with severe mental illness.

OBJECTIVE: The research sought to examine the overlap in coverage between several health-related databases, thus enabling the identification of the most important sources for searching for information on the rehabilitation of people with severe mental illness. METHODS: The literature was searched within a systematic review. Several health-related databases were retrieved (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PsycLIT, Sociofile, and Social Science Citation Index), noting their source and comparing results retrieved from each database. FINDINGS: The total number of studies retrieved from each database varied. Almost a third of the papers retrieved from each database were unique to that source. Forty-two percent of the papers were only found in one database. Restricting a search to one database alone would miss many papers and could affect the results of a systematic review. PsycLIT was the most useful database for this topic area, containing 44% of the papers. MEDLINE, the database of first choice for many health professionals, held only 29%. CONCLUSIONS: No database was determined to be significantly more useful than any other--each warranted inclusion in the study. Reliance cannot be placed on one database alone, and other methods such as hand searching should also be used. Although this may not be new information for information professionals, it is likely to be new for health professionals and researchers who are increasingly performing their own literature searches. Information professionals have an important role to play in conveying this message to those outside their profession.

Databases, Bibliographic↗

PubMed2001

A comparison of microarray databases.

Microarray technology has become one of the most important functional genomics technologies. A proliferation of microarray databases has resulted. It can be difficult for researchers exploring this technology to know which bioinformatics systems best meet their requirements. In order to obtain a better understanding of the available systems, a survey and comparative analysis of microarray databases was undertaken. The survey included databases that are currently available, as well as databases that should become available in early 2001. Databases fall into three categories: (i) those that can be installed locally, (ii) those available for public data submission and (iii) those available for public query. Developers of microarray gene-expression databases were asked questions regarding the scope and availability of their database, its system requirements, its future compliance with MGED (Microarray Gene Expression Database) standards, and its associated analytical tools. Participants included AMAD (Stanford/Berkeley/UCSF), ArrayExpress (EBI), ChipDB (MIT/Whitehead), GeneX (NCGR), GeNet (Silicon Genetics), GeneDirector (BioDiscovery), GEO (NCBI), GXD (Jackson Laboratory), mAdb (NCI), maxdSQL (University of Manchester), NOMAD (UCSF), RAD (University of Pennsylvania) and SMD (Stanford University). Other database developers were contacted but data was not available at the time of manuscript preparation. Each database fulfils a different role, reflecting the widely varying needs of microarray users.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

The Molecular Biology Database Collection: 2004 update.

The Molecular Biology Database Collection is a public resource listing key databases of value to the biologist, including those featured in this issue of Nucleic Acids Research, and other high-quality databases. All databases included in this Collection are freely available to the public. This listing aims to serve as a convenient starting point for searching the web for reliable information on various aspects of molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics. This year's update includes 548 databases, 162 more than the previous one. The databases are organized in a hierarchical classification that should simplify finding the right database for each given task. Each database in the list comes with a recently updated brief description. The database list and the database descriptions can be accessed online at the Nucleic Acids Research web site http://nar. oupjournals.org/.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

An international otology database.

There are many reports in the literature on the outcome of ear surgery. However, it is difficult to make comparisons from these reports because of a lack of uniformity in the way in which outcomes are reported. At the same time, the general public expects doctors to provide them with information regarding the benefits and risks of surgery. Many ear surgeons will not be able to provide this information because few have an up-to-date database. A group of otologists in Europe has attempted to establish a common otology database. The aim is to create a framework whereby surgeons in Europe can contribute to a common ear database using a web-based system. The proposed methodology involves two levels of data entry. Level 1 is a minimal database where the main outcomes are included. Level 2 is a comprehensive database where detailed information on pathologies, risk factors, and surgical procedures is also recorded. As both databases share the same core data, clinicians using database 1 can still compare their outcomes with those using database 2. Clinicians will be able to input and retrieve ear data onto or from the web-based database. There has already been an international consensus on the content of the common ear database. The website address is www.ear-audit.net. The international project has now been in operation for more than 6 months, and Ear UK has already given its endorsement. The founder members include 27 otologists from 12 European countries. The cumulative outcome from this group of surgeons will be used as the benchmark for the purpose of comparative audit. These benchmark sites will be subjected to regular external validation. The web-based system is interactive and gives instant feedback to individual surgeons who wish to compare their results to the benchmark. Therefore, it can be a good learning tool for trainees or less experienced surgeons. The common data entry system also provides an opportunity for clinicians to collaborate in clinical research.

Databases, Factual↗

PubMed2005

Critical evaluation of the JDO API for the persistence and portability requirements of complex biological databases.

BACKGROUND: Complex biological database systems have become key computational tools used daily by scientists and researchers. Many of these systems must be capable of executing on multiple different hardware and software configurations and are also often made available to users via the Internet. We have used the Java Data Object (JDO) persistence technology to develop the database layer of such a system known as the SigPath information management system. SigPath is an example of a complex biological database that needs to store various types of information connected by many relationships. RESULTS: Using this system as an example, we perform a critical evaluation of current JDO technology; discuss the suitability of the JDO standard to achieve portability, scalability and performance. We show that JDO supports portability of the SigPath system from a relational database backend to an object database backend and achieves acceptable scalability. To answer the performance question, we have created the SigPath JDO application benchmark that we distribute under the Gnu General Public License. This benchmark can be used as an example of using JDO technology to create a complex biological database and makes it possible for vendors and users of the technology to evaluate the performance of other JDO implementations for similar applications. CONCLUSIONS: The SigPath JDO benchmark and our discussion of JDO technology in the context of biological databases will be useful to bioinformaticians who design new complex biological databases and aim to create systems that can be ported easily to a variety of database backends.

Computational Biology↗

PubMed1996

Federated two-dimensional electrophoresis database: a simple means of publishing two-dimensional electrophoresis data.

While a two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) database is a relatively old concept, in recent years it generated renewed interest within the 2-DE community due to two main factors: (i) The high reproducibility of the current 2-DE method allows 2-DE images to be exchanged and compared between laboratories. (ii) The recent development of faster and more powerful techniques for protein identification such as microsequencing, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and amino acid composition makes the production of reference protein maps and 2-DE databases cost- and time-effective. Additionally, the Internet network's current increase in popularity, combined with the rapid growth of Internet-connected laboratories, provides a straightforward means of publishing and sharing 2-DE data. While a small number of laboratories have already successfully published their data over the net, the increasing number of 2-DE database servers that are currently being set up will sooner or later require some kind of standardization. Unfortunately, standardization can be a long and cumbersome process inevitably leading to undesirable compromises. A federated database offers a simple and efficient way to publish and share 2-DE data without the need for standardization. Taking advantage of Internet protocols such as World Wide Web, they allow each laboratory to maintain their own database and to interconnect it with other similar databases through the use of active cross-references. This paper first presents guidelines for building a federated 2-DE database that may easily be followed by most laboratories. It then briefly reviews the state-of-the-art in networked 2-DE databases, and finally describes the SWISS-2DPAGE database which fully implements the concept of a federated 2-DE database.

Computer Communication Networks↗

PubMed2003

Strengthening the United States' database protection laws: balancing public access and private control.

This paper develops three arguments for increasing the strength of database protection under U.S. law. First, stronger protections would encourage private investment in database development, and private databases have many potential benefits for science and industry. Second, stronger protections would discourage extensive use of private licenses to protect databases and would allow for greater public control over database laws and policies. Third, stronger database protections in the U.S. would harmonize U.S. and E.U. laws and would thus enhance international trade, commerce, and research. The U.S. should therefore follow the European example and develop two tiers of protection for databases: 1) protection for creative databases under copyright law; 2) protection for non-creative databases through a special type of sui generis protection. In order to balance private control of data and public access to data, sui generis protections should define a "fair use" exemption that permits some unauthorized extraction of data for private, educational, and research purposes, provided that such extraction does not adversely impact the economic value of the database.

Access to Information↗

PubMed2006

The value of an evidence database for occupational therapists: an international online survey.

BACKGROUND: Online evidence databases can provide access to high quality evidence at the point of care, making evidence-based practice more achievable. A discipline-specific online bibliographic database called OTseeker (www.otseeker.com) was designed for use by occupational therapists. The database is free, and contains citations and abstracts of systematic reviews, and critically appraised randomized controlled trials relevant to occupational therapy. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate search practices of database users, their views on its functionality, and the reported impact, if any, on their practice from using OTseeker. DESIGN: An online survey, placed on the database website for 30 days. SAMPLE: Potential participants were users of OTseeker during a 30-day period. A total of 498 people who had used the database more than once from over 40 countries completed the survey. RESULTS: Three hundred and nine (62%) participants believed that OTseeker had improved their ability to locate research about the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions, and 92 (19%) agreed that the information in the database had contributed to a change in practice. Those reporting no practice changes agreed that use of OTseeker had improved their knowledge generally (n=189; 38%), confirmed their practice (n=75; 15%), or revealed that there was insufficient research relevant to their search topic (n=92; 19%). Features of the database which helped respondents locate research evidence included: having discipline-specific content, providing critical appraisal ratings for randomized controlled trials, and presenting search results ranked for methodological quality. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the value of a discipline-specific, online database for helping occupational therapists locate high quality research evidence. Information located on databases such as OTseeker can help change or confirm practice, and improve knowledge.

Australia↗

PubMed2004

What is the point of databases of reviews for dermatology if all they compile is "insufficient evidence"?

BACKGROUND: The use of review databases for dermatology has been questioned because of the impression that these reviews frequently report finding insufficient evidence to guide therapeutic recommendations. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the number of review database entries most relevant to dermatology (addressing diseases with skin manifestations whereby a dermatologist may be the primary caregiver) and the percentage of these entries that report sufficient evidence to guide clinical decision making. METHODS: We conducted computerized searches and analysis of reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness. Database entries were categorized using the face value reports of the original reviewers as: (1) finding sufficient evidence to inform clinical decisions; (2) finding insufficient evidence; or (3) unable to classify with regard to degree of evidence found. RESULTS: Of all review database entries, 3% (54/1235 in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and 65/2208 in the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness) were deemed relevant to dermatology. In all, 14 entries from the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness were in the process of being written and not available for further evaluation. Of the remaining entries, 40% (42/105) reported finding sufficient evidence. Of the 10 most common dermatologic diagnoses, 8 were addressed in 30% (31/105) of these reviews. Of entries addressing common dermatologic diagnoses, 32% (10/31) reported finding sufficient evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Although few (3%) entries in review databases currently address dermatology topics, entries address many (8/10) of the top 10 dermatology diagnoses. Contrary to popular belief, a substantial number (40%) of such reviews report sufficient evidence to inform clinical decisions making.

Databases, Bibliographic↗

PubMed2001

Criminal DNA databases: the European situation.

In the last 5 years, a number of European countries have successfully introduced national databases holding the DNA profiles from suspected and convicted criminal offenders as well as from biological stain materials from unsolved crime cases. At present, DNA databases are fully or partially in operation in the UK, The Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Sweden. Furthermore, in the other European countries, specific legislation will be enacted soon, or the introduction of such databases is being discussed to initiate a legislative process. Numerous differences exist regarding the criteria for a criminal offender to be included in the database, the storage periods and the possibility to remove database records, the possibility to keep reference samples from the offenders as long as their respective records are being held, and the role of judges in the process of entering a database record or to perform a database search. Nevertheless, harmonization has been achieved regarding the DNA information stored in national databases, and a European standard set of genetic systems has been recommended which is included either in part or completely in the DNA profiles of offenders and crime stains for all European databases. This facilitates the exchange of information from database records to allow the investigation of crime cases across national borders.

Confidentiality↗

PubMed2006

Improving sensitivity in shotgun proteomics using a peptide-centric database with reduced complexity: protease cleavage and SCX elution rules from data mining of MS/MS spectra.

Correct identification of a peptide sequence from MS/MS data is still a challenging research problem, particularly in proteomic analyses of higher eukaryotes where protein databases are large. The scoring methods of search programs often generate cases where incorrect peptide sequences score higher than correct peptide sequences (referred to as distraction). Because smaller databases yield less distraction and better discrimination between correct and incorrect assignments, we developed a method for editing a peptide-centric database (PC-DB) to remove unlikely sequences and strategies for enabling search programs to utilize this peptide database. Rules for unlikely missed cleavage and nontryptic proteolysis products were identified by data mining 11 849 high-confidence peptide assignments. We also evaluated ion exchange chromatographic behavior as an editing criterion to generate subset databases. When used to search a well-annotated test data set of MS/MS spectra, we found no loss of critical information using PC-DBs, validating the methods for generating and searching against the databases. On the other hand, improved confidence in peptide assignments was achieved for tryptic peptides, measured by changes in DeltaCN and RSP. Decreased distraction was also achieved, consistent with the 3-9-fold decrease in database size. Data mining identified a major class of common nonspecific proteolytic products corresponding to leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) cleavages. Large improvements in identifying LAP products were achieved using the PC-DB approach when compared with conventional searches against protein databases. These results demonstrate that peptide properties can be used to reduce database size, yielding improved accuracy and information capture due to reduced distraction, but with little loss of information compared to conventional protein database searches.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Database system, AFoDas/AVODAS, on indoor air organic compounds in Japan. Automated Formaldehyde Data Acquisition System. Automated VOC Data Acquisition System.

Building designers, engineers and occupants often need to estimate the organic compounds' levels in buildings. In order to satisfy the requirement, a web-based database, named AFoDAS/AVODAS database system is developed. The database consists of six databases for managing indoor air organic compounds' levels and building's environmental conditions. The database includes the monitoring results of about 1422 homes. The database allows users to (1) input their monitoring results to the database; (2) browse, search and query the database by a single or combinations of criteria for various query parameters such as building category, ventilation system, environment category, and compound names; and (3) estimate the organic compounds' levels resulting from various buildings and environmental conditions. This paper describes the functionality, database structure and major features of the user interface system of the database.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗

PubMed2004

Comparison of the Micro-Nutrica Nutritional Analysis program and the Russian Food Composition Database using data from the Baltic Nutrition Surveys.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the nutrient content of foods and diets based on data from two food composition databases used in the Baltic Nutrition Surveys (conducted in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 1997): an adapted version of the Finnish Micro-Nutrica Nutritional Analysis program (used in Estonia) and the Russian Institute of Nutrition Food Composition Database (used in Latvia and Lithuania). DESIGN: The adapted Micro-Nutrica and Russian databases were used to estimate the energy and nutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamin C, calcium and iron) content of 15 common foodstuffs in the region and the nutrient intakes of 32 Latvian respondents (based on 24-h recalls). Differences between databases were estimated. RESULTS: There were discrepancies in the energy and nutrient content of the 15 selected foods using the two databases. The adapted Micro-Nutrica database generally gave a lower energy content than the Russian database (median: -6%), and a lower fat content for typically fat-rich foods. Intakes of energy, fat, carbohydrate and calcium by the 32 selected respondents were significantly lower when the Micro-Nutrica database was used. Differences were particularly high for fat (difference=-23.5%, 95% confidence interval=-31.1 to -15.8%, P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that reported comparisons of nutrient intakes in the Baltic countries should be treated with caution and that more research is needed for the development of comparable national databases in the region. Potential differences between databases should be investigated early when international surveys of dietary intake are being planned.

Baltic States↗

PubMed2002

Virtues of a worldwide congenital heart surgery database.

The rationale for a congenital heart surgery database lies in the organized manner in which information can be compiled to accomplish programmatic evaluation, monitor clinical outcomes, comply with governmental requirements, perform retrospective and prospective clinical studies, and participate in local, national, and global improvement strategies. The task of inaugurating an effective congenital heart surgery database has taken many years and involved concurrent development efforts at multiple sites. Two such efforts took place in North America with the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database, and in Europe with the European Congenital Heart Defects Database. These initial efforts provided the impetus for development of an international congenital heart surgery database that would allow scientific exchanges on an international scale and promote multi-institutional evaluation of congenital heart surgery. Sample outcome templates from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery's accepted minimum database data set are reviewed for the specific diagnostic entry ventricular septal defect, to familiarize the reader with potential available data summaries and outcome analyses, including risk stratification, when data harvest is performed. In Europe, the agreed upon minimum data set are now collected as part of the Pediatric European Cardiac Surgical Registry, while in North America users of the CardioAccess database and users of the minimum data set downloaded from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons web site are being notified of plans for a 2002 data harvest incorporating the minimum database data set. It is likely that the extant voluntary, minimal data set congenital heart surgery database will be replaced by a mandated system required by states, provinces, and countries. Data collection schemes and data validation programs will become standardized, which will result in improved data quality and uniform congenital heart center participation. As participation with valid data approaches 100% of congenital heart centers, the power and importance of the database increases exponentially. Reliable information can be used to assess residency/fellowship programs, resource allocation, major therapeutic trends, manpower issues, and in the end, all initiatives that will require accurate information.

Databases, Factual↗

PubMed2006

Creation of clinical research databases in the 21st century: a practical algorithm for HIPAA Compliance.

BACKGROUND: Enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) began in April, 2003. Designed as a law mandating health insurance availability when coverage was lost, HIPAA imposed sweeping and broad-reaching protections of patient privacy. These changes dramatically altered clinical research by placing sizeable regulatory burdens upon investigators with threat of severe and costly federal and civil penalties. This report describes development of an algorithmic approach to clinical research database design based upon a central key-shared data (CK-SD) model allowing researchers to easily analyze, distribute, and publish clinical research without disclosure of HIPAA Protected Health Information (PHI). METHODS: Three clinical database formats (small clinical trial, operating room performance, and genetic microchip array datasets) were modeled using standard structured query language (SQL)-compliant databases. The CK database was created to contain PHI data, whereas a shareable SD database was generated in real-time containing relevant clinical outcome information while protecting PHI items. Small (< 100 records), medium (< 50,000 records), and large (> 10(8) records) model databases were created, and the resultant data models were evaluated in consultation with an HIPAA compliance officer. RESULTS: The SD database models complied fully with HIPAA regulations, and resulting "shared" data could be distributed freely. Unique patient identifiers were not required for treatment or outcome analysis. Age data were resolved to single-integer years, grouping patients aged > 89 years. Admission, discharge, treatment, and follow-up dates were replaced with enrollment year, and follow-up/outcome intervals calculated eliminating original data. Two additional data fields identified as PHI (treating physician and facility) were replaced with integer values, and the original data corresponding to these values were stored in the CK database. Use of the algorithm at the time of database design did not increase cost or design effort. CONCLUSIONS: The CK-SD model for clinical database design provides an algorithm for investigators to create, maintain, and share clinical research data compliant with HIPAA regulations. This model is applicable to new projects and large institutional datasets, and should decrease regulatory efforts required for conduct of clinical research. Application of the design algorithm early in the clinical research enterprise does not increase cost or the effort of data collection.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2003

Food and dietary supplement databases for What We Eat in America-NHANES.

Relative strengths and potential approaches for improvement of food and dietary supplement databases used for tabulating intakes from the dietary component of the What We Eat in America-National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) are discussed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Data Laboratory develops and maintains the Nutrient Databank System (NDBS) and many nutrient-specific and population-specific databases. NDBS contains data for approximately 8,000 foods and approximately 115 components; tables for compounds of special interest are also available. Nutrient databases need constant revision because of a constantly changing food supply. The completeness of analytical data varies from nutrient to nutrient. The National Center for Health Statistics developed and maintains a database of dietary supplements based on label information. To date, no verification of ingredients has been undertaken. The development of a dietary supplement database containing analytical values would require extensive resources but would be valuable. Databases for vitamin and mineral supplements are compatible with food databases. Databases for botanicals and other supplements include nonnutrient constituents that may not be documented in food composition databases. Gaps in food and dietary supplement composition data exist because of limited resources, changing availability of foods and products and the advent of new compounds of health interest. More data are needed on nutrients and other bioactive constituents in foods and dietary supplements. Analytical methods do not exist for all ingredients or active constituents in foods and dietary supplements. Research needs for further development of meaningful food and dietary supplement databases are similar.

Databases, Factual↗