Topic types
In many of the source systems some of the topics / keywords are categorised according to the type of data that they represent. This categorisation can be useful in searching and filtering scenarios and so is included in the MDR.
If not explicitly catergorised, the topics or keyword terms are simply left as being of type 'Keyword'. (Though if controlled terminology terms are used, categorisation may be possible through later processing even when it is not used in the source data.)
The current types of topics used within the system largely reflect the categorisations used within the two major initial source systems.
As well as conventional topic types, they also include a set of study data points - included so that they can be used in searches for studies with particular attributes. The categories used within the categorised types are listed on the Topic Categories page.
| id | name | description | type | source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Keywords | Topic that was not categorised or does not fit into one of the categories listed. Often written by study or object creators. | Free-text or controlled vocabulary | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| 12 | Chemical / agent | One or more chemicals or biological agents, relevant to the study, including as interventions under test. | Free-text or controlled vocabulary | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| 13 | Condition | Illness or condition that is being targeted within study. | Free-text or controlled vocabulary | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| 14 | Design | Aspect of study design methodology. | Free-text or controlled vocabulary | PubMed |
| 15 | Outcome | Outcome measure or outcome produced within the study. | Free-text or controlled vocabulary | PubMed |
| 16 | Geographic | A geographical entity that was the particular focus or limit of the study. | Free-text or controlled vocabulary | PubMed |
| 17 | Organism | Organism, e.g. particular bacterium, that was targeted during the study. | Free-text or controlled vocabulary | PubMed |
| 18 | Treatment protocol | The name of a particular treatment regime / protocol, e.g. a chemotherapy regime. | Free-text | PubMed |
| 19 | Subject characteristics | Descriptive term pertaining to the subject group of the study. | Free-text | PubMed |
| 0 | not yet known | Dummy value supplied by default on entity creation | not applicable | ECRIN |
