Predicting Acute Hypotensive Episodes: The 10th Annual PhysioNet/Computers in Cardiology Challenge

This year's PhysioNet/Computers in Cardiology Challenge aimed to stimulate development of methods for identifying intensive care unit (ICU) patients at imminent risk of acute hypotensive episodes (AHEs), motivated by the possibility of improving care and survival of these patients. Participants were asked to forecast the occurrence of an AHE up to an hour in advance, in two groups of ICU patient records from the MIMIC II Database, drawing on data that included at least 10 hours of physiologic waveforms, time series, and accompanying clinical data prior to the one-hour forecast window. In event 1, most participants were able to identify without errors, in a group of 10 high-risk patients receiving pressor medication, which five of the patients experienced AHEs during the forecast window. In event 2, participants were able to classify correctly as many as 37 (93%) of a diverse group of 40 patients, including nearly all of those who experienced AHEs.