New insight into the survival chances of patients could help doctors to tailor treatment plans. AFP
New insight into the survival chances of patients could help doctors to tailor treatment plans. AFP
New insight into the survival chances of patients could help doctors to tailor treatment plans. AFP
New insight into the survival chances of patients could help doctors to tailor treatment plans. AFP

UAE

Health

AI-powered blood test set to predict survival prospects of Covid-19 patients

New method could help medics to develop treatment plans accordingly

Daniel Bardsley
Daniel Bardsley

January 19, 2022

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Researchers have developed a way to predict if a person will survive after developing Covid-19 – and it involves taking a drop of blood.

Found to be 96 per cent accurate, the method could help doctors decide who to prioritise for the most intensive treatments.

Artificial intelligence has been used to develop the technique, which involves tests for a number of proteins in the blood.

One of the study’s senior authors, Dr Florian Kurth, of Charity-University Medicine Berlin, said at present it was “difficult” for doctors to assess whether an individual patient will deteriorate or die from Covid-19.

It was, he said, “especially challenging” to work out the probable outcome among patients who currently have similar levels of the disease.

Based on proteomics – the large-scale study of proteins – the new method involves looking at levels of 14 proteins in a drop of a patient’s blood.

“The proteomic risk prediction was far better than the prognosis derived from established risk-assessment scores, which are routinely used in clinical care,” Dr Kurth said.

Machine learning, a form of AI, was used to find out which out of more than 300 proteins in the blood could predict how a patient’s disease will develop.

It identified 14 proteins “that showed trajectories different between survivors and non-survivors”, in the words of the new study.

Advanced technology key to Covid-19 fight

This latest application of AI comes after many other initiatives to employ the technology to combat the pandemic and heralds what is expected to be its greater use in medicine as a whole.

Other examples include an AI-based method developed by New York University Abu Dhabi researchers that uses information from, for example, chest X-rays to help forecast a Covid-19 patient’s outcome over the next 96 hours.

The technology has also been used to design coronavirus vaccines and to identify which drugs out of thousands being used to treat other conditions might be effective at combating Covid-19.

AI has also been used by scientists to combine data on Covid-19 patients from many hospitals, which helps to make research more reliable.

In the new study the researchers said most proteins that could work out a patient’s prognosis were involved in clotting or were part of the immune system called the complement cascade.

Health workers take a break from administering Covid-19 swab tests in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The country reported its first case of heavily mutated coronavirus Omicron variant of concern on December 3 in a citizen returning from South Africa. EPA
Health workers take a break from administering Covid-19 swab tests in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The country reported its first case of heavily mutated coronavirus Omicron variant of concern on December 3 in a citizen returning from South Africa. EPA
A health worker holds a vial of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine at a pop-up in Manhattan, New York City. Reuters
A health worker holds a vial of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine at a pop-up in Manhattan, New York City. Reuters
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, wearing a protective face covering to combat the spread of the coronavirus, leaves No 10 Downing Street in central London to take part in the weekly session of Prime Minister Questions at Parliament. He is facing a backlash from some of his own MPs over new coronavirus restrictions as he contends with a slump in support and questions about his future. AFP
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, wearing a protective face covering to combat the spread of the coronavirus, leaves No 10 Downing Street in central London to take part in the weekly session of Prime Minister Questions at Parliament. He is facing a backlash from some of his own MPs over new coronavirus restrictions as he contends with a slump in support and questions about his future. AFP
A dose of Covid-19 vaccine is given to a school pupil during a vaccination drive for children aged 6 to 11, in West Java, Indonesia. The country has reported that more than 4.2 million coronavirus infections with cases among people aged 18 and under making up 13 per cent of Indonesia’s total cases. EPA
A dose of Covid-19 vaccine is given to a school pupil during a vaccination drive for children aged 6 to 11, in West Java, Indonesia. The country has reported that more than 4.2 million coronavirus infections with cases among people aged 18 and under making up 13 per cent of Indonesia’s total cases. EPA
Medical workers take nasal samples from people at a makeshift coronavirus testing site in Seoul, South Korea. AP
Medical workers take nasal samples from people at a makeshift coronavirus testing site in Seoul, South Korea. AP
Brentford’s Premier League clash with Manchester United has this week been postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the Old Trafford club. By Tuesday morning, the English Premier League had been hit by 42 positive tests. Photo: Manchester United FC
Brentford’s Premier League clash with Manchester United has this week been postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the Old Trafford club. By Tuesday morning, the English Premier League had been hit by 42 positive tests. Photo: Manchester United FC
Visitors wear masks at a shopping centre in Beijing. Chinese state media said the first case of the Omicron variant had been detected in the country's mainland in Tianjin city, about 135km east of the capital. AP
Visitors wear masks at a shopping centre in Beijing. Chinese state media said the first case of the Omicron variant had been detected in the country's mainland in Tianjin city, about 135km east of the capital. AP
People shop for Christmas in Sydney. Covid-19 restrictions will ease further across the state of New South Wales, including rules for unvaccinated people. Getty Images
People shop for Christmas in Sydney. Covid-19 restrictions will ease further across the state of New South Wales, including rules for unvaccinated people. Getty Images
The body of a person who died from Covid-19) is pushed to be cremated by the Farmington Funeral Home in New Mexico, US. Reuters
The body of a person who died from Covid-19) is pushed to be cremated by the Farmington Funeral Home in New Mexico, US. Reuters
People take a ski lift wearing a mandatory mask as a preventive measure against Covid-19, in the Alpe d’Huez ski resort, France. AFP
People take a ski lift wearing a mandatory mask as a preventive measure against Covid-19, in the Alpe d’Huez ski resort, France. AFP
Nathan Blackwater holds his daughter, Nylah, as she receives her first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in Shiprock, New Mexico. Reuters
Nathan Blackwater holds his daughter, Nylah, as she receives her first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in Shiprock, New Mexico. Reuters
Medical workers in protective suits collect swabs from residents at a Covid-19 testing site in Ningbo, China. Reuters
Medical workers in protective suits collect swabs from residents at a Covid-19 testing site in Ningbo, China. Reuters
Covid-19 patient Larry Goff, 61, in an isolation room at San Juan Regional Medical Centre in Farmington, New Mexico. Reuters
Covid-19 patient Larry Goff, 61, in an isolation room at San Juan Regional Medical Centre in Farmington, New Mexico. Reuters
A man has a nose swab sample collected at a mobile Covid-19 testing unit in Manhattan, New York. Reuters
A man has a nose swab sample collected at a mobile Covid-19 testing unit in Manhattan, New York. Reuters
Daniel and Paris Hokin wait for their Covid-19 test results with their children at a check point in Coolangatta, on Australia's Gold Coast, before entering Queensland. Getty
Daniel and Paris Hokin wait for their Covid-19 test results with their children at a check point in Coolangatta, on Australia's Gold Coast, before entering Queensland. Getty
Skiers wait for a cable car in Obereggen, Italy. The Italian government tightened health restrictions from December 6 to combat the rise in Covid-19 cases. Getty
Skiers wait for a cable car in Obereggen, Italy. The Italian government tightened health restrictions from December 6 to combat the rise in Covid-19 cases. Getty
Protesters take part in a demonstration against Covid-19 health restrictions in Austria, which became the first EU country to say it would make vaccinations mandatory. AFP
Protesters take part in a demonstration against Covid-19 health restrictions in Austria, which became the first EU country to say it would make vaccinations mandatory. AFP
Pilgrims walk towards Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico City on Sunday after the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. AP
Pilgrims walk towards Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico City on Sunday after the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. AP
Ukrainians take part in a protest against Covid-19 restrictions for unvaccinated people in Kiev. EPA
Ukrainians take part in a protest against Covid-19 restrictions for unvaccinated people in Kiev. EPA
Medical workers protest against the Belgian government's Covid-19 restrictions in Brussels. Reuters
Medical workers protest against the Belgian government's Covid-19 restrictions in Brussels. Reuters
Travellers wear protective suits at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, near Jakarta. Indonesia has banned travellers from eight African countries in an effort to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Reuters
Travellers wear protective suits at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, near Jakarta. Indonesia has banned travellers from eight African countries in an effort to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Reuters
A medic prepares a Covid-19 vaccine dose during an inoculation campaign in the Palestinian city of Rafah. AFP
A medic prepares a Covid-19 vaccine dose during an inoculation campaign in the Palestinian city of Rafah. AFP
An electronic stock market board in Tokyo, Japan. Stocks advanced in Asia after a broad rally on Wall Street amid hopes that the Omicron strain will not pose a big economic threat. AP
An electronic stock market board in Tokyo, Japan. Stocks advanced in Asia after a broad rally on Wall Street amid hopes that the Omicron strain will not pose a big economic threat. AP
A woman undergoes a PCR test at a Covid-19 testing centre in Seoul, South Korea. AFP
A woman undergoes a PCR test at a Covid-19 testing centre in Seoul, South Korea. AFP
A woman attending a religious festival in Managua, Nicaragua, has her hands sprayed with sanitiser as a precaution against Covid-19. EPA
A woman attending a religious festival in Managua, Nicaragua, has her hands sprayed with sanitiser as a precaution against Covid-19. EPA
A restaurant worker in Warsaw checks a customer's proof of vaccination. From March, Poland's health workers, teachers, police and other uniformed service workers will need to be vaccinated against Covid-19. AP
A restaurant worker in Warsaw checks a customer's proof of vaccination. From March, Poland's health workers, teachers, police and other uniformed service workers will need to be vaccinated against Covid-19. AP
Activists lit about 12,000 candles in Bern, Switzerland, in memory of the people who have died from Covid-19 in the country. EPA
Activists lit about 12,000 candles in Bern, Switzerland, in memory of the people who have died from Covid-19 in the country. EPA
A pedestrian walks past a mobile Covid-19 vaccine clinic in Manhattan, New York. Reuters
A pedestrian walks past a mobile Covid-19 vaccine clinic in Manhattan, New York. Reuters
A healthcare worker prepares to give a woman a Covid-19 vaccine dose in Lima, Peru. Reuters
A healthcare worker prepares to give a woman a Covid-19 vaccine dose in Lima, Peru. Reuters
A 'Mask Up For Christmas' sign in Manchester. The UK government is advising people to receive Covid-19 booster shots as it reintroduces safety measures. Getty
A 'Mask Up For Christmas' sign in Manchester. The UK government is advising people to receive Covid-19 booster shots as it reintroduces safety measures. Getty
A man walks along the bank of the Danube Canal during the lockdown in Vienna. Graffiti on the wall reflects opposition to the Covid-19 vaccination campaign. AP
A man walks along the bank of the Danube Canal during the lockdown in Vienna. Graffiti on the wall reflects opposition to the Covid-19 vaccination campaign. AP
A trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stocks rallied on Wall Street as investors hoped that the Omicron coronavirus variant will not pose a big economic threat. AP
A trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stocks rallied on Wall Street as investors hoped that the Omicron coronavirus variant will not pose a big economic threat. AP
A Christmas market in Berlin. Germany is dealing with a rising number of coronavirus infections. EPA
A Christmas market in Berlin. Germany is dealing with a rising number of coronavirus infections. EPA
A lab worker handles positive Covid-19 samples to be sequenced in the virology laboratory of the APHP Henri Mondor Hospital in Creteil, on the outskirts of Paris. AFP
A lab worker handles positive Covid-19 samples to be sequenced in the virology laboratory of the APHP Henri Mondor Hospital in Creteil, on the outskirts of Paris. AFP
A health worker collects a swab sample of a passenger who arrived in Karnataka by train, following the detection of the Omicron strain in the Indian state. EPA
A health worker collects a swab sample of a passenger who arrived in Karnataka by train, following the detection of the Omicron strain in the Indian state. EPA
Officials disinfect the cabin of an Asiana Airlines plane at Incheon International Airport in South Korea amid mounting concerns about the Omicron variant. EPA
Officials disinfect the cabin of an Asiana Airlines plane at Incheon International Airport in South Korea amid mounting concerns about the Omicron variant. EPA
Signage for a vaccination site in a Manhattan subway station as the Omicron strain continues to spread in New York. Reuters
Signage for a vaccination site in a Manhattan subway station as the Omicron strain continues to spread in New York. Reuters
Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a press conference in Downing Street after ministers met to consider imposing new restrictions in response to rising cases and the spread of the Omicron variant. PA
Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a press conference in Downing Street after ministers met to consider imposing new restrictions in response to rising cases and the spread of the Omicron variant. PA
A member of the Western Cape Metro Emergency Medical Services receives vaccines from an ambulance in Cape Town, South Africa. AFP
A member of the Western Cape Metro Emergency Medical Services receives vaccines from an ambulance in Cape Town, South Africa. AFP
People queue for Covid-19 booster jabs outside a vaccination centre in London. UK government health experts are advising that all people aged over 18 should receive Covid-19 booster shots. EPA
People queue for Covid-19 booster jabs outside a vaccination centre in London. UK government health experts are advising that all people aged over 18 should receive Covid-19 booster shots. EPA

The clotting system is known to be important, the researchers said, because a “substantial proportion” of patients severely ill with Covid-19 develop thromboembolic events, which involve a blood clot that has been dislodged from one part of the circulatory system causing a blockage in another blood vessel.

“Our study demonstrates that plasma proteomics can give rise to prognostic predictors substantially outperforming current prognostic markers in intensive care,” the researchers wrote in Plos Digital Health.

Data can help to decide treatment plans

They found that the method accurately predicted the outcome for 18 out of 19 patients who were seriously ill with Covid-19 but went on to survive, and five out of five patients who died.

John Oxford, an emeritus professor of virology at Queen Mary University of London and co-author of the textbook Human Virology, said better ways of knowing whether a person is at risk could be helpful in deciding, for example, whether to give antiviral drugs.

“It would be excellent if there were any testing system that could harden up prognosis and give real data on how serious this could be for that particular individual,” said Prof Oxford, who is not connected to the new study.

The new technique has not been made available for use in hospitals but Dr Kurth said the researchers were planning to find out if it could be used by standard testing laboratories, which could lead to its wider adoption.

“We also want to assess the method further in larger cohorts of patients and possibly also in other diseases,” he said.

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Match info

Athletic Bilbao 0

Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)

Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

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Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

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Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury

Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')

Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)

Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)

Updated: January 19, 2022, 4:00 AM