Table 1

Summary of CPCSSN Case Definitions for 8 Index Conditions

Case Definition
ConditionInclusionsExclusions
DiabetesDiabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2, controlled or uncontrolledGestational diabetes, chemically induced (secondary) diabetes, neonatal diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hyperglycemia, prediabetes, or similar states or conditions (such as impaired fasting glucose or glucose intolerance)
HypertensionEssential hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, hypertensive chronic kidney disease, hypertensive heart and kidney disease, secondary hypertensionaMyocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, angina, portal hypertension, white-coat hypertension, gestational hypertension, or pregnancy-induced hypertension (unless there was a preexisting diagnosis of hypertension), borderline hypertension, or similar nonspecific comment
COPDObstructive chronic bronchitis, emphysema, chronic airway obstruction (ever)bAll types of asthma, including chronic obstructive asthma
DepressionEpisodic mood disorders, depressive disorder not elsewhere classified, bipolar, manic affective disorder, manic episodes, mild depression (not simply clinical depression)cAnxiety disorders, alcohol or drug-induced mental disorders, schizophrenic disorders, delusional disorders, other nonorganic psychoses, pervasive developmental disorders, or other intellectual disabilities
OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis and allied disorders, spondylosis and allied disorders such as kissing spine, ankylosing vertebral hyperostosisIntervertebral disc disorders, spinal stenosis, ankylosing spondylitis, and other inflammatory spondylopathies
EpilepsyEpilepsy, recurrent seizures or general convulsions, petit mal (absence) seizures, grand mal (tonic-clonic) seizures, myoclonic epilepsy, childhood-onset epilepsy, childhood-related epilepsyProvoked seizure, alcohol withdrawal seizure, hypoglycemic seizure, or possible or suspected variants of the inclusionsd
ParkinsonismParkinson disease, paralysis agitans, parkinsonismTremor, Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, and “suspected” or “possible” variants of the inclusions
DementiaAlzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia, Pick disease, senile degeneration of the brain, corticobasal degeneration, cerebral degeneration, dementia with Lewy bodies, mild cognitive impairment, senile dementia, presenile dementia, vascular dementia, senility without mention of psychosis
  • COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CPCSSN = Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network.

  • a Requires an explicit diagnosis of hypertension (eg, elevated blood pressure values alone are insufficient).

  • b Only persons aged 35 years and older are eligible for inclusion. Classification of COPD requires more than a single x-ray or spirometry finding and must include either a specific or similar diagnosis of COPD.

  • c This definition identifies lifetime prevalence.

  • d Individuals with a diagnosis of petit mal, grand mal, or convulsions and not receiving antiepileptic drugs are excluded, along with individuals on antiepileptic drugs only and no diagnosis in the chart.