Evan D. Muse & Eric J. Topol –
It wasn’t until the 19th century that diseases of the kidney began to be recognised under the eponymous diagnosis of Bright’s disease, named after the father of nephrology Richard Bright (1789–1858). While our understanding of various types of kidney injury and pathologies has broadened over time, the complexities and clinical overlap of kidney diseases have led to less than adequate prevention and treatment strategies. Chronic kidney disease is present in about 10% of the world’s population—more than diabetes and cancer combined—ranks as the ninth leading cause of death in the USA, and accounts for billions of dollars in medical costs, suffering, and lost quality life-years. Despite this high burden, the public and most medical providers rarely give chronic kidney disease the priority it deserves. However, machine learning predictive algorithms are poised to make a real difference here.
Read the full article in The Lancet.
