A European project develops AI-based tools for the personalized treatment of hypertension

The initiative has the participation of Incliva

VALENCIA, Apr. 20 (EUROPA PRESS) -

An international research team has launched the 'Hypermarker' project to develop and test artificial intelligence (AI)-backed tools that allow clinicians to select the best and most personalized treatment for each patient with high blood pressure in clinical practice.

The Incliva Health Research Institute, of the Hospital Clínico de València, participates in this initiative through a consortium of twelve partners that integrates world leaders in health data science, patient defense and industry, which has received twelve million Euros of funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe program and from UK Research and Innovation.

Specifically, Incliva will monitor difficult-to-control hypertensive patients in which they will be provided with instruments to achieve blood pressure normalization and metabolomics parameters will be assessed in order to optimize the treatment to be received to obtain the appropriate therapeutic response and reduce cardiovascular and renal risk.

The principal investigator of the project at Incliva is Dr. Josep Redón, coordinator of the Cardiometabolic and Renal Risk Study Group. The Cardiovascular Area of ​​the Internal Medicine Service of the Hospital Clínico de València also participates, through Dr. Fernando Martínez, clinical chief of Internal Medicine and the head of the Service, María José Forner, both professors of the Department of Medicine of the University of Valencia .

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a serious medical condition and the main causative factor in circulatory diseases. It remains one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide, with a high social and economic burden for patients and healthcare systems. Although there are many treatments for hypertension, blood pressure control remains poor in most countries, with preventable consequences such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and dementia.

The 'Hypermarker' research team will develop a clinical decision support tool that will enable physicians to make an informed selection of antihypertensive medication for each patient.

"We are developing useful prediction algorithms that can help clinicians decide on the appropriate treatment for hypertension in each case," explains Professor Grobbee, project manager at the University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht. By measuring and analyzing small molecules in the blood that interact with body systems, response to medications can be predicted. "The elaboration of a pharmacometabolic profile can mean a radical change in the treatment of many diseases," says Professor Hankemeier of the University of Leiden, co-director of the project.

In this work, patient cohorts from eleven European countries will provide data to develop the clinical decision support tool. Artificial intelligence approaches will be used to integrate this information with clinical factors, using deep learning methods to isolate what is most important to determine treatment for each patient. The tools will be validated and refined through an innovative randomized clinical trial in four countries, supported by public and patient participation.

"What Hypermarker excels at is extensive evaluation to develop an applicable tool with a roadmap for regulatory approval. Our goal is to make a real difference in daily practice and help improve patient care," explains Professor Kotecha, from the University of Birmingham, co-director of the project.

In addition to Incliva, Hypermarker includes the participation of the UCM University Medical Center, in Utrecht (the Netherlands); the University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UK); the University of Leiden (Netherlands); the Hamburg-Eppendorf Medical Center (Germany); the University of Utrecht (Netherlands); London School of Economics (UK); the company Medicine Men (Netherlands); the company Euretos (Netherlands); European Heart Network (Belgium); Roche Diagnostics (Netherlands); and Steinbeisser Project Management UG (Germany).