Teaching computers to create an early warning system for kidney disease

Duke Translational Medicine Institute is featuring collaborative research by Uptal Patel, MD, associate professor of medicine (Nephrology) and pediatrics.

Dr. Patel, along with Erich Huang, MD, PhD, assistant professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics, and Katherine Heller, assistant professor of statistical science, are devising an early warning system to catch chronic kidney disease from data that is often available in patients' electronic medical records.

With funding from the Duke CTSA through the Duke Translational Research Institute (DTRI) Collaborative Pilot Award, the interdisciplinary team is applying statistical methods that would allow them to capture data collected in health records over time. The goal is to use the data to identify declining kidney function and to teach the computers to better predict kidney function problems out into the future.

"Our data-rich approach uses all prior data that might allow us to better predict furture risk," Patel said. "The goal is to help physicians have more engaging conversations with their patients."

Read more on the DTMI website.

 

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