Even with many vaccines in place as part of prevention and safety measures that limit the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, many scientists still do not know much about this deadly virus. Unknown factors include which patients will suffer from severe infections and who needs to receive the vaccine first.
Now, researchers in Denmark say that artificial intelligence can delve into this grim future and find clear answers to all of scientists' questions. Their study revealed that a new computer program can accurately predict who will live and who will die as a result of a COVID-19 infection even before they become infected. A team from the University of Copenhagen found that AI can predict the likelihood of someone's death from COVID-19 with an accuracy of up to 90%. The algorithm behind this prediction was based on key factors, including body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and gender. Additionally, AI was able to determine whether a person would need a ventilator during their hospital stay due to COVID-19 with an accuracy of 80%. Researchers indicate that this information can help doctors manage hospital resources better and identify high-risk citizens to prioritize vaccination.
Professor Mads Nielsen, the lead author of the study, explained: "We started working on designing and developing these AI models to assist hospitals, as many healthcare experts felt a high level of fear during the first wave of the viral pandemic due to insufficient ventilators for ICU patients. The results of our new study could also be used to quickly identify who needs to receive the vaccine, precisely determining who is most at risk of dying from COVID-19."
The authors of the study fed their AI program health data from nearly 4,000 Danish patients infected with COVID-19, allowing it to recognize patterns of previous illnesses for each patient. Professor Nielsen elaborated: "Our results unexpectedly show that age and BMI are the most critical factors determining how severely a person is affected by COVID-19, but the likelihood of death or ending up on a ventilator also increases if you are male, have high blood pressure, or have a neurological disorder." According to the study, the following are the main factors that determine whether a COVID-19 patient will end up on a ventilator:
- Body mass index
- Age
- High blood pressure
- Being male
- Neurological disorders
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Heart diseases
Nielsen added: "For those affected by one or more of these criteria, we found that it may make sense to prioritize them on the vaccination waiting list, to avoid any risk of contracting the virus or ending up on a ventilator."
