Big Health Data Research
We are interested in studying the burden of musculoskeletal conditions to the NHS, other national healthcare systems, and to the whole society.
We explore routinely collected data as a primary source to understand the frequency, magnitude, and factors associated with both prevalent and rare musculoskeletal conditions.
This approach enables us to understand the natural history of complex conditions such as arthritis (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, amongst others) or bone diseases such as osteoporosis and its main complication, fragility fractures.
We use complex statistical modelling techniques to disentangle the causes underlying the observed associations, and to provide clinicians, commissioners, and patients with reliable information on the relevance of each particular condition from different perspectives.
As part of this, we have established a number of international collaborations with world experts in bioinformatics, statistics, epidemiology, rheumatology, and orthopaedic surgery. With them, we try to improve not only the amount and the quality of data available, but also the methods used to analyse and interpret old and newly gathered information.
Ongoing Projects
- European Program of Post-Authorisation Safety Studies for Protelos®/Osseor® through EU-ADR Alliance
- Risks and benefits of bisphosphonate use in patients with chronic kidney disease: a population-based cohort study: BisCK
- Comparative safety of anti-fracture therapies in the community and in specific groups of patients in the UK: a cohort study
- Using NHS data for musculoskeletal epidemiology: the risk/benefit of total knee and hip arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and the potential effects of biologics on reducing the need for surgery
- STAR - Support and Treatment After Replacement (STAR)
- ACHE Tool
- Models of care for the delivery of secondary fracture prevention after hip fracture
User Group
Collaborators
- Medical Informatics, Erasmus MC, Netherlands
- EU ADR Alliance
- SIDIAP Database, Idiap Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain
- MRC Life course Epidemiology Unit, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Fundacio IMIM, PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
- OPEN – Odense Patient data Explorative Network, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
- Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Bristol University
- Health Economics Research Centre