Dose Era
Epic equivalent: No direct equivalent — derived from drug exposure with dose normalization
The dose_era table represents periods of consistent daily dose for a drug. Like drug_era, it's derived from drug_exposure, but with an additional layer of dose normalization. When the dose changes, a new era begins.
Useful for dose-response studies, safety signal detection, and tracking dose escalation/reduction patterns.
Field Reference
Field reference (click to expand)
| OMOP Field | What It Captures |
|---|---|
dose_era_id |
Unique identifier |
person_id |
Links to the patient |
drug_concept_id |
RxNorm ingredient concept |
unit_concept_id |
Dose unit (mg, mL, etc.) |
dose_value |
Standardized daily dose during this era |
dose_era_start_date |
First date of stable dosing |
dose_era_end_date |
Last date of stable dosing |
What to Watch For
Common pitfalls
- Dose changes create new eras
- Unlike drug era (which tolerates gaps), dose era splits whenever the daily dose changes.
- Less frequently populated
- Many OMOP ETLs omit this table unless explicitly configured. Check availability before building analyses on it.
- Dependent on accurate dose capture
- Poor or missing dose data in
drug_exposurelimits this table's utility.
Research Patterns
| Question | Tables Involved |
|---|---|
| High-dose corticosteroid duration in IBD | dose_era (prednisone + dose threshold) + condition_occurrence (IBD) |
| Dose-dependent statin safety signals | dose_era (statins) + condition_occurrence (rhabdomyolysis) |
| Antidepressant dose escalation patterns | dose_era sequenced by date + dose_value |
| Stable insulin dose for 90+ days | dose_era (insulin) filtered by duration |
| Lab changes after dose adjustment | dose_era + measurement before/after dose change |