In our study, the processes of record linkage and data analysis were separated: use of identifiable data was restricted to the record linkage, the linkage was conducted by someone not involved in the research, and access only to anonymised data were available to the investigators, maximising protection of participants' privacy.
One of the applications in our system is a linkage of data analysis software.
KS did the additional linkage, the data analysis and the writing of the first draft.
TS made the data linkages and data analysis regarding the Medical Birth Register and the ad hoc data.
PP helped to conceive of the study, supervised all phases of the study (i.e., data linkage, activities coordination, data analysis), drafted and revised the manuscript.
TvD Performed experimental work, participated in the design of this study, performed linkage mapping and data analysis and drafted the manuscript.
Typically several lines of evidence (including linkage data, co-segregation analysis, comparison with mutation databases and functional and structural data about the protein) are needed to make a diagnosis securely.
Clinical data used for research may also include patient identifiable data, e.g. date of birth, sex, that are also important for the data analysis, linkage during follow up, and to answer the research questions.
Since most studies reviewed used a different input and/or output-encoding scheme, it is not clear at this point that there is an optimal way for encoding linkage data for a NN analysis.
We agree that a more detailed tetrasomic linkage analysis could improve the data analysis for segregation in autotetraploids.
