Department of Software Technology
Vienna University of Technology

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Utilizing Temporal Data Abstraction for Data Validation and Therapy Planning for Artificially Ventilated Newborn Infants Abstract: Medical diagnosis and therapy planning at modern intensive care units (ICUs) have been refined by the technical improvement of their equipment. However, the bulk of continuous data arising from complex monitoring systems in combination with discontinuously assessed numerical and qualitative data creates a rising information management problem at neonatal ICUs (NICUs). We developed methods for data validation and therapy planning which incorporate knowledge about point and interval data, as well as expected qualitative trend descriptions to arrive at unified qualitative descriptions of parameters (temporal data abstraction). Our methods are based on data-point-transformation and curve-fitting schemata which express the dynamics of and the reactions to different degrees of parameters' abnormalities as well as on smoothing and adjustment mechanisms to keep the qualitative descriptions stable. We show their applicability to detect anomalous system behavior early, to recommend therapeutic actions, and to assess the effectiveness of these actions within a certain period. We implemented our methods in VIE-VENT, an open-loop knowledge-based monitoring and therapy planning system for artificially ventilated newborn infants. The applicability and usefulness of our approach are illustrated by examples of VIE-VENT.

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Comments: rauber@ifs.tuwien.ac.at