A view at the future--a dynamical, protocol-based and computationally intensive approach in cardiovascular risk assessment

Coll Antropol. 2010 Jun;34(2):437-45.

Abstract

Knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors is increasing. At the same time, risk estimation becomes more and more difficult. The need for a more comprehensive, but more individually based approach is evident. To achieve this aim, we propose a systems biology approach in cardiovascular risk assessment. This means that a large amount of health data, describing many aspects of the health-status of patients, is collected and computed and the results are compared with existing knowledge. Finally, a clinical model is created, which can be the first step in ongoing research protocol, aimed at assessing cardiovascular risk. By using this approach, all potentially relevant risk factors can be identified on a small sample. Moreover, risk groups can be more specifically defined, based on the "natural" clustering of data, according to their predictive load. We tested this possibility on an example of hyperhomocysteinemia which is a well-known complex cardiovascular risk factor.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Blood Cell Count
  • Blood Chemical Analysis
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Diabetes Complications / epidemiology
  • Forecasting / methods
  • Glycated Hemoglobin / metabolism
  • Health Status
  • Homocysteine / blood
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Life Style
  • Risk Assessment
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Urologic Diseases / chemically induced

Substances

  • Glycated Hemoglobin A
  • Triglycerides
  • Homocysteine
  • Cholesterol