PREDICTION OF EXACERBATIONS FOR COPD PATIENTS

• US 20140221782A1
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aalborg Universitet
• Original Assignee: Aalborg Universitet
• Inventors: Hejlesen, Ole Kristian, Dinesen, Birthe Irene, Jensen, Morten Hasselstrm, Cichosz, Simon Lebech
• Application Number:
  US14/240,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20140221782A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

The invention provides a method for estimating if a patient suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is approaching an exacerbation. Data with connected data indicative of levels of blood oxygen saturation obtained from the patient and their respective time of measurements are received, and a processor executes an algorithm involving: 1) calculating a statistical measure, e.g. a regression, of the level of blood oxygen saturation data taking into account available data within a time window with a limited length back in time, e.g. 30 days back in time, and 2) estimating if the patient is approaching an exacerbation by comparing a value obtained from said statistical measure to a reference value. Finally, an output indicative of a result of said estimation is generated. The method can ensure that COPD patients, e.g. in tele homecare, are properly treated before suffering from a severe exacerbation that could necessitate hospitalization. The COPD patient can easily measure blood oxygen saturation with an oxygen meter, and the algorithm can be executed on a mobile phone, a PC, on a server in contact with the patient via the interne, or on a dedicated oxygen meter device.

Claims

1. A method for estimating if a patient suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is approaching an exacerbation, the method comprising:

receiving a set of data with connected data indicative of levels of blood oxygen saturation obtained from the patient and their respective time of measurements,

executing an algorithm on a processor, the algorithm involving

calculating a statistical measure of the level of blood oxygen saturation data taking into account available data within a time window with a limited length back in time, and

estimating if the patient is approaching an exacerbation by comparing a value obtained from said statistical measure to a reference value, and

generating an output indicative of a result of said estimation.

34. The method according to claim 1, comprising calculating a regression of the level of oxygen saturation data within the time window.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the regression calculation is a linear regression calculation, and

wherein the output is generated based on a comparison of a slope of the calculated linear regression with a reference value.

36. The method according to claim 1, wherein the time window has a length of 1-90 days.

37. The method according to claim 1, wherein the output is generated taking into account further data indicative of information related to the patient, wherein said information related to the patient comprises data indicative of a medical condition of the patient comprising data representing a measured value indicative of:

blood pressure, heart rate, and lung function.

38. The method according to claim 1, comprising performing a binary decision if the patient is approaching an exacerbation or not, based on said comparison with a reference level, and wherein the output is indicative of a binary decision.

39. The method according to claim 1, comprising calculating a risk or a certainty value indicative of a graduated risk or certainty of the patient approaching an exacerbation, and wherein the output is indicative of said risk or certainty value.

40. The method according to claim 1, wherein the algorithm is executed and the output is generated, when a new level of blood oxygen saturation data is received.

41. The method according to claim 1, comprising adjusting at least the calculating step or the estimating step of the algorithm in response to one or more parameters related to the individual patient comprising at least one of:

a length of the time window, said reference value, or selection of possible further data to be included in the algorithm.

42. An apparatus comprising a processor arranged to perform the method according to claim 1.

43. The apparatus according to claim 42, comprising an oxygen meter arranged to measure a level of blood oxygen saturation of a patient and to provide data according to a measured level of blood oxygen saturation.

44. The apparatus according to claim 42, comprising a meter device arranged to measure data indicative of at least one further medical condition of the patient apart from blood oxygen saturation.

45. The apparatus according to claim 42, comprising an output indicator, so as to generate an output indicative of the result of said estimation.

46. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the processor, an oxygen meter, and the output indicator are housed so as to form one single unit.

47. The apparatus according to claim 42, wherein an oxygen meter and the processor are part of separate units, wherein the separate units are functionally connected by a wireless or a wired connection.

48. The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the unit comprising the processor is a mobile phone, a personal computer, a dedicated device or an oxygen meter.

49. The apparatus according to claim 42, comprising a user interface so as to allow manually entering of measured levels of blood oxygen saturation.

50. The apparatus according to claim 42, comprising an alarm functionality serving to automatically alarm medical personnel, in case the output indicative of the result of said estimation indicates an exacerbation.

51. The apparatus according to claim 42, comprising an oxygen meter, which is arranged for operation by the patient in his/her home, and wherein the system comprises an output indicator arranged to provide the output indicative of the result of said estimation to one or more of:

medical personnel at a hospital, a clinical centre, a general practitioner, or a relative of the patient.

52. A computer executable program code stored on a storage medium, wherein the code is arranged to perform the method according to claim 1, when being executed on a device comprising a processor.

2-33. -33. (canceled)