Artificial intelligence in chronic kidney diseases: methodology and potential applications.

Journal: International urology and nephrology
PMID:

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a significant global health challenge, characterized by kidney damage and decreased function. Its prevalence has steadily increased, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its epidemiology, risk factors, and management strategies. While traditional prognostic markers such as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria provide valuable insights, they may not fully capture the complexity of CKD progression and associated cardiovascular (CV) risks.This paper reviews the current state of renal and CV risk prediction in CKD, highlighting the limitations of traditional models and the potential for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. AI, particularly machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), offers a promising avenue for enhancing risk prediction by analyzing vast and diverse patient data, including genetic markers, biomarkers, and imaging. By identifying intricate patterns and relationships within datasets, AI algorithms can generate more comprehensive risk profiles, enabling personalized and nuanced risk assessments.Despite its potential, the integration of AI into clinical practice faces challenges such as the opacity of some algorithms and concerns regarding data quality, privacy, and bias. Efforts towards explainable AI (XAI) and rigorous data governance are essential to ensure transparency, interpretability, and trustworthiness in AI-driven predictions.

Authors

  • Andrea Simeri
    Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, CS, Italy.
  • Giuseppe Pezzi
    Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Catanzaro, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
  • Roberta Arena
    Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende - Hospital 'SS. Annunziata', Cosenza, Italy.
  • Giuliana Papalia
    Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende - Hospital 'SS. Annunziata', Cosenza, Italy.
  • Tamas Szili-Torok
    Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
  • Rosita Greco
    Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende - Hospital 'SS. Annunziata', Cosenza, Italy.
  • Pierangelo Veltri
    Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
  • Gianluigi Greco
    Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Calabria, Rend.
  • Vincenzo Pezzi
    Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende - Hospital 'SS. Annunziata', Cosenza, Italy.
  • Michele Provenzano
    Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende - Hospital 'SS. Annunziata', Cosenza, Italy. michele.provenzano@unical.it.
  • Gianluigi Zaza
    Department of Nephro-Urology, Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplant Unit, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.