Keele Research Repository

We demonstrate the use of electronic records and repeated measures of risk factors therein, to enable deeper understanding of the relationship between the full longitudinal trajectory of risk factors and outcomes. To illustrate, dynamic mixed effect modelling is used to summarise the level, trend and monitoring intensity of kidney function. The output from this model then forms covariates for a recurrent event Cox proportional hazards model for predicting adverse events (AE). Using data from Salford, UK, our multivariate model finds that steeper declines in kidney function raise the hazard of AE (HR:1.13, 95% CI (1.05, 1.22)). There is a non-proportional relationship between the hazard of AE and the monitoring intensity of kidney function. Neither of these variables would be present in a classical risk prediction model. This work illustrates the potential of using the full longitudinal profile of risk factors, rather than just their level. There is an opportunity for deep statistical learning leading to rich clinical insight using longitudinal signals in electronic data.