A research team from the University of Leeds has developed an artificial intelligence device said to be capable of predicting acute kidney injury (AKI), following a grant of £220,000 from Kidney Research UK in partnership with the Stoneygate Trust.
The team, led by Dr Sergei Krivov, used historical patient records to develop AKI-Predict with the aim of calculating a patient’s risk of developing AKI and generating an alert to flag these patients to medical staff. The device uses an algorithm based on the current NHS AKI alert system, which utilises indicators such as changes in blood test results to recognise the onset of AKI.
Following the device’s development, the team are to conduct tests across hospitals to ensure that AKI-Predict works for different patients and in real time.
Kidney Research UK states that the development of AKI-Predict could bring potential benefits such as “less severe illness, fewer complications, and shorter hospitalisation”, as well as assisting medical staff and researchers in understanding the factors that can increase or decrease risk of AKI.
Dr Krivov comments: “It has the potential to significantly improve the care of these patients, help us to better understand the causes of AKI, and identify effective treatments. This is a huge milestone for kidney research, and for the safe, effective use of artificial intelligence for patient benefit.”
In other news around AI, earlier in the month HTN covered how a letter to the MHRA has seen two secretaries of comment on plans to establish a regulatory framework for AI, noting “the need to ensure that regulators were taking the risks and opportunities of AI within their remits seriously”.
In January, we shared our interview with Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO at HealthAI, the global agency for responsible AI and health. Ricardo shared his views on the potential of AI in healthcare across the world along with key learnings from his career and more; catch up with his interview here.
Also from Leeds, HTN reported on the news that a biomedical engineer at Leeds Teaching Hospital created 3D heart replicas with the aim to support surgical interventions for patients with congenital heart defects; and we shared insights into the digital maternity journey at the trust through a webinar with deputy chief midwifery information officer Misbah Mahmood.
