COVID-19 cohort studies data harmonization, standardization, and processing to analyze data-driven evidence of the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdown was the only solution to contain the spread of the virus, the need for data collection, sharing, harmonization, and standardization to generate accurate evidence was significant. The European Cohorts of Patients and Schools to Advance Response to Epidemics (EuCARE) project objectives included studying the viral variants, looking at mutation patterns, hospitalization patterns, long-term effects on patients, impacts on healthcare workers, and implications for schools. However, the Real-World Data (RWD) data that was collected from the partner's site showed inconsistencies and a lack of harmonization and standardization. As part of the EuCARE project, this study focuses on a comprehensive data cohort analysis of the EuCARE database using state-of-the-art curation, semantic mapping techniques, and data harmonization. The project aims to ensure that the standard coding systems, such as SNOMED CT, LOINC, and NCIt, are well in use, to guarantee that the EuCARE dataset is well consistent and interoperable enough to aid in meaningful cross-site comparisons and analyses. EuCARE COVID19 Cohort study coordinated by EuResist uses an RDBMS MariaDB database, having 125 tables of complex structure with a total of 1015 variables. Out of all these, 476 are identified as unique entities, with 516 being standardized by SNOMED CT concepts, 564 by LOINC, and 602 by NCIt terms and definitions. As a result, this study created a data harmonization architecture framework that facilitates careful efforts of semantic mapping, harmonization, and standardization to enhance the data integrity and quality for a comprehensive analysis of the phenomena surrounding COVID-19. Furthermore, this study aligns with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and focuses on wider data accessibility beyond this consortium. Therefore, the collected EuCARE data is discoverable, accessible, and provides valuable insights to any potential scientific user worldwide. The objective is ...