Apparatus for health correlation assessment

• US 9,060,728 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Newman, Richard W., Xu, Min, Qiu, Jiejing, O'Neil, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Unsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, PHONG KY
• Application Number:
  US13/620,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20130253367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 600/558
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/022 for testing contrast sensitivity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1241 specially adapted for observation of ocular blood flow, e.g. by fluorescein angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4082 Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4088 Diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases or dementia
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for performing a health correlation assessment based upon results an eye contrast sensitivity measurement test of a person. The health correlation assessment yields a predictive and probabilistic measure of the likelihood of the person appropriately assigned to a particular clinical health classification. Such an eye contrast sensitivity measurement can be used to identify people who are likely to be within a pre-Alzheimer'"'"'s disease state or within Alzheimer'"'"'s disease state of health and identify those who should seek further clinical and/or other types of testing to ascertain their actual health status and to determine an appropriate course of medical treatment.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing a probabilistic assessment for one or more Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related clinical health classifications based upon results of a contrast sensitivity eye examination test, comprising:

an eye contrast sensitivity testing device that is configured to perform an eye contrast sensitivity test with respect to a first subject, and that is further configured to generate eye contrast sensitivity test result data, representing a result of said eye contrast sensitivity test with respect to said first subject;

a data access component for obtaining at least a portion of eye contrast sensitivity test result data from a first eye contrast sensitivity test performed by a first subject, from said eye contrast sensitivity testing device;

a health correlation assessment component that exercises a first algorithm in accordance with a correlation model, that includes exercise of a set of one or more mathematical equations that are each is applied to process said at least a portion of eye contrast sensitivity test result data of said first eye contrast sensitivity test, each of said first set of equations including a separate variable representing a numerical probability value associated with a separate probabilistic health classification, each said component outputs at least one numerical probability value representing an estimated probability of said first subject being clinically assigned into at least one of a plurality of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related health classifications, said health classifications including at least one classification indicating a presence of an Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related abnormality within said first subject;

said first set of equations each employing a set of at least two mathematical coefficients, said coefficients each being a numerical value that is determined by exercise of a second algorithm configured for processing a repository of data in accordance with a correlation model, said repository of data including other eye contrast sensitivity test result data obtained from eye contrast sensitivity tests performed by subjects other than said first subject; and

an output component that outputs information representing said probabilistic health classifications.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first algorithm further accesses and processes personal attribute data associated with said first subject in combination with said eye contrast sensitivity test result data of said first eye contrast sensitivity test, to determine said probabilistic health classifications.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said probabilistic health classifications include one probability of a subject being appropriately classified as having a clinical stage of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said probabilistic health classifications include one probability of a subject being appropriately classified as having a pre-clinical or clinical stage of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said probabilistic health classifications include one probability of a subject being appropriately classified as having an absence of an Alzheimer'"'"'s related disease.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second algorithm inputs one of at least a personal attribute, such as age and gender and family history, in combination with a portion of a result of said contrast sensitivity test.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least a portion of a contrast sensitivity test result includes one contrast sensitivity test parameter, selected from at least one of RightDurationTime, PeripheryRightEye, CentralRightEye, SuperiorRightEye, InferiorRightEye, MacularArcRightEye and SuperiorQuadRightEye 1 and SuperiorQuadRightEye 2 contrast sensitivity test parameters.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least a portion of a contrast sensitivity test result includes measurements of more than one contrast sensitivity test parameter, selected from at least two of RightDurationTime, PeripheryRightEye, CentralRightEye, SuperiorRightEye, InferiorRightEye, MacularArcRightEye and SuperiorQuadRightEye 1 and SuperiorQuadRightEye 2 contrast sensitivity test parameters.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least a portion of a contrast sensitivity test result includes at least one contrast sensitivity test parameters including at least one of RightDurationTime, LeftDurationTime, MDLeftEye, MDRightEye, SuperiorLeftEye and SuperiorRight Eye.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said correlation model is based, at least in part, upon an amount of time required for said test subject to complete said eye contrast sensitivity test.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said amount of time is obtained from said at least a portion of a contrast sensitivity test.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said correlation model is based, at least in part, upon an amount of time required for said test subject to complete said eye contrast sensitivity test.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said amount of time is obtained from said at least a portion of a contrast sensitivity test.

10. A method for performing a probabilistic assessment for one or more Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related clinical health classifications based upon results of a contrast sensitivity eye examination of a first subject, comprising the steps of:

providing an eye contrast sensitivity testing device that is configured to perform an eye contrast sensitivity test with respect to a first subject, and that is further configured to generate eye contrast sensitivity test result data, representing a result of said eye contrast sensitivity test with respect to said first subject;

obtaining at least a portion of an eye contrast sensitivity test result data for a first subject from said eye contrast sensitivity testing device;

exercising a first algorithm that includes exercise of a set of one or more mathematical equations, via a computer, circuitry, or one or more processors, that is applied to process said at least a portion of eye contrast sensitivity test result data, said first algorithm configured for determining a set of one or more probabilistic health classifications for said first subject, each of said equations including a separate variable representing a numerical probability value associated with a separate probabilistic health classification, each said numerical probability value representing an estimated probability of said first subject being clinically assigned into at least one Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related clinical health classification, in accordance with a clinical evaluation of said first subject;

said first set of equations employing a set of at least two mathematical coefficients, said coefficients each being a numerical value that is determined by exercise of a second algorithm configured for processing a repository of data in accordance with a correlation model, said repository of data including eye contrast sensitivity test result data obtained from eye contrast sensitivity tests performed by subjects other than said first subject; and

providing information representing said probabilistic health classifications.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one said probabilistic health classifications include one classification of said first subject being appropriately classified as having a clinical or pre-clinical stage of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one probabilistic health classification includes one classification of a subject being appropriately classified as having an absence of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said pre-clinical stage of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease is at least one of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitive complaint (CC).

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least a portion of a contrast sensitivity test result includes one contrast sensitivity test parameter, selected from at least one of RightDurationTime, PeripheryRightEye, CentralRightEye, SuperiorRightEye, InferiorRightEye, MacularArcRightEye and SuperiorQuadRightEye 1 and SuperiorQuadRightEye 2 contrast sensitivity test parameters.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least a portion of a contrast sensitivity test result includes at least one contrast sensitivity test parameters including at least one of RightDurationTime, LeftDurationTime, MDLeftEye, MDRightEye, SuperiorLeftEye and SuperiorRight Eye.

16. An system for performing an probabilistic assessment for one or more Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related health classifications based upon results of a contrast sensitivity eye examination, comprising:

an eye contrast sensitivity testing device that is configured to perform an eye contrast sensitivity test with respect to a first subject, and that is further configured to generate eye contrast sensitivity test result data, representing a result of said eye contrast sensitivity test with respect to said first subject;

a data access component for obtaining at least a portion of a result of a contrast sensitivity test for a first subject, from said eye contrast sensitivity testing device;

a health correlation assessment procedure (HCAP) component that exercises a first algorithm, in accordance with a first correlation model, and that includes exercise of a set of one or more mathematical equations that are each applied to process at least a portion of a result of said eye contrast sensitivity test for said first subject, each of said equations including a separate variable representing a numerical probability value associated with a separate probabilistic health classification, each said numerical probability value representing an estimated probability of said first subject being clinically assigned into at least one Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related health classification, based upon a clinical evaluation of said first subject;

said first set of equations each employing a set of at least two mathematical coefficients, said coefficients each being a numerical value that is determined by exercise of a second algorithm configured for processing a repository of data in accordance with a correlation model, said repository of data including eye contrast sensitivity test result data obtained from eye contrast sensitivity tests performed by subjects other than said first subject; and

an output component that outputs information representing said probabilistic health classification.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said first algorithm employs mathematical coefficients each having values that are periodically re-determined from re-processing of said repository of sample data, and wherein said repository of sample data evolves via periodic addition of said other eye contrast sensitivity test result data over time.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said first algorithm further processes personal attribute data associated with said first subject, for determining a set of one or more probabilistic health classifications for said first subject.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein said HCAP component further provides information relating to prospect of whether said first subject would be appropriately assigned to one or more one non-Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related health classifications including at least one of glaucoma, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and head trauma.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein said HCAP component exercises a second algorithm that measures a change in contrast sensitivity test (CST) performance of said first subject over time for providing information relating to a prospect of whether said first subject would be appropriately assigned to one or more Alzheimer'"'"'s or non-Alzheimer'"'"'s disease related health classifications.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein said HCAP component exercises a third algorithm that measures a change in contrast sensitivity test (CST) performance of said first subject over time for measuring an effect of medical treatment applied to the first subject over time.