title: Computerised Analysis of Telemonitored Respiratory Sounds for Predicting Acute Exacerbations of COPD.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the commonest causes of death in the world and poses a substantial burden on healthcare systems and patients' quality of life. The largest component of the related healthcare costs is attributable to admissions due to acute exacerbation (AECOPD). The evidence that might support the effectiveness of the telemonitoring interventions in COPD is limited partially due to the lack of useful predictors for the early detection of AECOPD. Electronic stethoscopes and computerised analyses of respiratory sounds (CARS) techniques provide an opportunity for substantial improvement in the management of respiratory diseases. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using: (a) a respiratory sensor embedded in a self-tailored housing for ageing users; (b) a telehealth framework; (c) CARS and (d) machine learning techniques for the remote early detection of the AECOPD. In a 6-month pilot study, 16 patients with COPD were equipped with a home base-station and a sensor to daily record their respiratory sounds. Principal component analysis (PCA) and a support vector machine (SVM) classifier was designed to predict AECOPD. 75.8% exacerbations were early detected with an average of 5 ± 1.9 days in advance at medical attention. The proposed method could provide support to patients, physicians and healthcare systems.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering and Telemedicine Research Group, University of Cadiz. Avda. de la Universidad, 10, 11519 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain. ma.fernandez@uca.es.|Department of Automation, Electronics and Computer Architecture and Networks, University of Cadiz. Avda. de la Universidad, 10, 11519 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain. ma.fernandez@uca.es.
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Granero
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering and Telemedicine Research Group, University of Cadiz. Avda. de la Universidad, 10, 11519 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain. daniel.morillo@uca.es.|Department of Automation, Electronics and Computer Architecture and Networks, University of Cadiz. Avda. de la Universidad, 10, 11519 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain. daniel.morillo@uca.es.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Morillo
authors.affiliation: Pulmonology, Allergy and Thoracic Surgery Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, 11009 Cadiz, Spain. anleji@hotmail.es.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leon-Jimenez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069550:Machine Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods
keywords: COPD; PCA; SVM; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; data-driven; early detection; exacerbation; lung sounds; machine learning; prediction; respiratory sounds; sensor; support vector machine; symptoms; telehealth; telemonitoring