Utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis: development and validation in three retrospective cohorts

Abstract Background Acute pancreatitis (AP) is associated with a high readmission rate; however, there is a paucity of models capable of predicting post-discharge outcomes. Furthermore, existing in-hospital prediction models exhibit notable limitations. This study leverages machine learning (ML) tec...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kaier Gu, Yang Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-025-03103-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849342794827563008
author Kaier Gu
Yang Liu
author_facet Kaier Gu
Yang Liu
author_sort Kaier Gu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Acute pancreatitis (AP) is associated with a high readmission rate; however, there is a paucity of models capable of predicting post-discharge outcomes. Furthermore, existing in-hospital prediction models exhibit notable limitations. This study leverages machine learning (ML) technology to develop prognosis prediction models for AP patients, encompassing in-hospital mortality, readmission rates, and post-discharge mortality. Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on the clinical and laboratory data of AP patients from three databases (MIMIC database, eICU database, and Wenzhou Hospital in China), and they were divided into a training set and two validation sets. In the training set, key variables were screened using univariate logistic regression and the LASSO method. Six ML algorithms were employed to construct predictive models. The performance of these models was appraised using receiver operating characteristic curves, decision curve analysis, Shapley additive explanations plots, and other relevant metrics. A comparison was made between the predictive capabilities of the ML models and clinical scores. Subsequently, the performance of the machine learning models was subjected to further validation within two external validation sets. Results A total of 2,559 AP patients were included. There were 12–26 variables selected for model training. Among the six ML models under assessment, the Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) models exhibited relatively superior performance in predicting in-hospital mortality, mortality within 180/365 days after discharge. Findings from the decision curve analysis and two external validation sets further indicated that the XGB model exhibited the optimal performance in predicting the in-hospital mortality of AP patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Specifically, the XGB model demonstrated stability in the area under the curve across different centers, achieved a balance between sensitivity and specificity, and effectively prevented overfitting through regularization mechanisms. These features are highly congruent with the core requirements for robustness in the medical context. Conclusions By collecting the dynamic variables of patients during their hospitalization and establishing an XGB model, it is conducive to identifying the short-term and long-term prognoses of AP patients and promoting the decision-making of clinicians. Clinical trial number Not applicable.
format Article
id doaj-art-e067a162949f4c82bc98bc5324e1c888
institution Kabale University
issn 1472-6947
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
spelling doaj-art-e067a162949f4c82bc98bc5324e1c8882025-08-20T03:43:15ZengBMCBMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making1472-69472025-07-0125112210.1186/s12911-025-03103-7Utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis: development and validation in three retrospective cohortsKaier Gu0Yang Liu1Department of Internal Medicine, Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care HospitalDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Background Acute pancreatitis (AP) is associated with a high readmission rate; however, there is a paucity of models capable of predicting post-discharge outcomes. Furthermore, existing in-hospital prediction models exhibit notable limitations. This study leverages machine learning (ML) technology to develop prognosis prediction models for AP patients, encompassing in-hospital mortality, readmission rates, and post-discharge mortality. Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on the clinical and laboratory data of AP patients from three databases (MIMIC database, eICU database, and Wenzhou Hospital in China), and they were divided into a training set and two validation sets. In the training set, key variables were screened using univariate logistic regression and the LASSO method. Six ML algorithms were employed to construct predictive models. The performance of these models was appraised using receiver operating characteristic curves, decision curve analysis, Shapley additive explanations plots, and other relevant metrics. A comparison was made between the predictive capabilities of the ML models and clinical scores. Subsequently, the performance of the machine learning models was subjected to further validation within two external validation sets. Results A total of 2,559 AP patients were included. There were 12–26 variables selected for model training. Among the six ML models under assessment, the Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) models exhibited relatively superior performance in predicting in-hospital mortality, mortality within 180/365 days after discharge. Findings from the decision curve analysis and two external validation sets further indicated that the XGB model exhibited the optimal performance in predicting the in-hospital mortality of AP patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Specifically, the XGB model demonstrated stability in the area under the curve across different centers, achieved a balance between sensitivity and specificity, and effectively prevented overfitting through regularization mechanisms. These features are highly congruent with the core requirements for robustness in the medical context. Conclusions By collecting the dynamic variables of patients during their hospitalization and establishing an XGB model, it is conducive to identifying the short-term and long-term prognoses of AP patients and promoting the decision-making of clinicians. Clinical trial number Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-025-03103-7Acute pancreatitisMachine learningPrediction modelIn-hospital mortalityMIMICeICU
spellingShingle Kaier Gu
Yang Liu
Utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis: development and validation in three retrospective cohorts
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Acute pancreatitis
Machine learning
Prediction model
In-hospital mortality
MIMIC
eICU
title Utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis: development and validation in three retrospective cohorts
title_full Utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis: development and validation in three retrospective cohorts
title_fullStr Utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis: development and validation in three retrospective cohorts
title_full_unstemmed Utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis: development and validation in three retrospective cohorts
title_short Utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis: development and validation in three retrospective cohorts
title_sort utilizing machine learning models for predicting outcomes in acute pancreatitis development and validation in three retrospective cohorts
topic Acute pancreatitis
Machine learning
Prediction model
In-hospital mortality
MIMIC
eICU
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-025-03103-7
work_keys_str_mv AT kaiergu utilizingmachinelearningmodelsforpredictingoutcomesinacutepancreatitisdevelopmentandvalidationinthreeretrospectivecohorts
AT yangliu utilizingmachinelearningmodelsforpredictingoutcomesinacutepancreatitisdevelopmentandvalidationinthreeretrospectivecohorts