STAGE I, Part 1: We extracted limited access data sets from an existing research database (prior research patients' data from APPLES research project, where patients consented to provide a limited access data sets to the public domain as required by grants funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [NHLBI], PI: Dr. Clete Kushida) and a dummy database with prepared test data (no real patient data) to evaluate and refine the initial iterations of the informatics infrastructure created via an agile evolutionary development process.~STAGE I, Part 2: We expanded the functionality of the informatics infrastructure by testing its ability to incorporate research data collected from an electronic questionnaire, the Alliance Sleep Questionnaire (ASQ). We enabled data collection using the ASQ in order to use these data to evaluate and refine the iterations for the informatics infrastructure.~STAGE I, Part 3: We expanded the functionality of the informatics infrastructure by testing its ability to incorporate live (ongoing) longitudinal data collected from multiple forms and data sources obtained during the STAGE II study. The addition of these data allowed the COMET Steering Committee to create use cases with a greater diversity of data content. The STAGE II data were used to evaluate and refine the iterations for the expanded informatics infrastructure.~STAGE I, Part 4: Part 4 was designed to expand the collection of data beyond individual research studies, tapping into University-wide systems (e.g., Stride) to link longitudinal data collected during research studies to longitudinal data collected during clinical visits. Only de-identified data were shared with the network, and only the local site held the codebook that translated the Global Identifier (ID) to the Participant ID. All Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations were considered.~STAGE II: This stage was comprised of the multicenter, randomized, parallel group, comparative effectiveness trial to compare positive airway pressure (PAP) vs. oral appliance (OA) therapy in improving hypertension and abnormalities in cardiovascular function in overweight/obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Data collected during the STAGE II study were incorporated in Part 3 of the STAGE I study. This comparative effectiveness trial was conducted at 4 clinical centers, and the data collected during this trial were used to test the electronic network informatics infrastructure. The primary aim of the Stage II CET was to evaluate and compare the effect of positive airway pressure and oral appliance therapy on 24-hour blood pressure and vascular structure and function associated with obstructive sleep apnea in a primarily female, overweight/obese hypertensive population.~STAGE III: This stage was comprised of completion of data analysis and preparation of the electronic network informatics infrastructure for deployment beyond the four Clinical Centers to interested Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) institutions. We also explored expanding the ontologies beyond a sleep-related ontology to other medical ontologies, and the use of federated database methodology.
STAGE I of the COMET study was to develop an Electronic Network Informatics Infrastructure that prospectively enabled access to and the sharing of clinical and research data.~STAGE II: This was a Comparative Effectiveness Trial (CET) evaluating positive airway pressure (PAP) vs. oral appliance (OA) therapy in improving hypertension and abnormalities in cardiovascular function in overweight/obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Data collected during the STAGE II study was incorporated in Part 3 of the STAGE I study.~STAGE III of the COMET study was completion of data analysis and preparation of the electronic network informatics infrastructure for use beyond the four Clinical Centers to interested CTSA institutions. We also explored expanding ontologies, and the use of federated database methodology.