An assessment of the quality of the I-DSD and the I-CAH registries - international registries for rare conditions affecting sex development

BACKGROUND: With the proliferation of rare disease registries, there is a need for registries to undergo an assessment of their quality against agreed standards to ensure their long-term sustainability and acceptability.This study was performed to evaluate the I-DSD and I-CAH Registries and identify their strengths and weaknesses. METHODS: The design and operational aspects of the registries were evaluated against published quality indicators. Additional criteria included the level of activity, international acceptability of the registries and their use for research. RESULTS: The design of the I-DSD and I-CAH Registries provides them with the ability to perform multiple studies and meet the standards for data elements, data sources and eligibility criteria. The registries follow the standards for data security, governance, ethical and legal issues, sustainability and communication of activities. The data have a high degree of validity, consistency and accuracy and the completeness is maximal for specific conditions such as androgen insensitivity syndrome and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. In terms of research output, the external validity is strong but the wide variety of cases needs further review. The internal validity of data was condition specific and highest for conditions such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The shift of the registry from a European registry to an international registry and the creation of a discrete but linked CAH registry increased the number of users and stakeholders as well as the international acceptability of both registries. CONCLUSIONS: The I-DSD and I-CAH registries comply with the standards set by expert organisations. Recent modifications in their operation have allowed the registries to increase their user acceptability.