Following ECG patterns over time to spot heart risk in chronic kidney disease

Dynamic Longitudinal Functional Models with Applications to the CRIC Study

NIH-funded research University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11070343

This project builds computer tools that watch routine ECGs from people with chronic kidney disease to spot who might be at higher risk for heart problems.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pennsylvania NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11070343 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers will use yearly twelve-lead ECG recordings collected from people in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) to look for changing heartbeat patterns over time. They will create new statistical and computational methods that extract features from raw ECG traces and model how those features evolve. The team will build fast, real-time risk prediction algorithms that aim to flag patients at high risk for events like heart failure, heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation, or cardiovascular death. Findings will be checked by applying the methods to an independent group of CKD patients to confirm the discoveries.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults with chronic kidney disease who have repeated ECG recordings or who are enrolled in CKD cohorts like CRIC are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without chronic kidney disease, those without serial ECG data, or patients whose heart issues do not show up on ECGs may not benefit directly.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help detect rising heart risk earlier using routine ECGs so clinicians can act sooner to prevent complications.

How similar studies have performed: Machine learning on single ECGs has shown promise for heart-risk prediction, but using dynamic longitudinal ECG patterns in CKD with real-time algorithms is a newer and less-tested approach.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cardiovascular Diseases
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.