Blumenstein B A
Southwest Oncology Group Statistical Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98104.
Control Clin Trials. 1989 Dec;10(4):386-406. doi: 10.1016/0197-2456(89)90004-4.
The Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) chose to use a relational database management system (RDBMS) for the management of data from multiple clinical trials because of the underlying relational model's inherent flexibility and the natural way multiple entity types (patients, studies, and participants) can be accommodated. The tradeoffs to using the relational model as compared to using the hierarchical model include added computing cycles due to deferred data linkages and added procedural complexity due to the necessity of implementing protections against referential integrity violations. The SWOG uses its RDBMS as a platform on which to build data operations software. This data operations software, which is written in a compiled computer language, allows multiple users to simultaneously update the database and is interactive with respect to the detection of conditions requiring action and the presentation of options for dealing with those conditions. The relational model facilitates the development and maintenance of data operations software.
西南肿瘤学组（SWOG）选择使用关系数据库管理系统（RDBMS）来管理来自多个临床试验的数据，这是因为底层关系模型具有固有的灵活性，并且能够自然地容纳多种实体类型（患者、研究和参与者）。与使用层次模型相比，使用关系模型的权衡之处包括由于延迟数据链接而增加的计算周期，以及由于需要实施防止参照完整性违规的保护措施而增加的程序复杂性。SWOG将其RDBMS用作构建数据操作软件的平台。该数据操作软件用编译型计算机语言编写，允许多个用户同时更新数据库，并且在检测需要采取行动的条件以及呈现处理这些条件的选项方面具有交互性。关系模型有助于数据操作软件的开发和维护。
