HOUSTON ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back.

Researchers from Emory University have developed a robust AI-powered meta-model designed to predict the likelihood of blood transfusion in non-traumatic ICU patients. Published in Health Data Science, the study addresses key challenges in predicting transfusion needs by utilizing machine learning algorithms trained on clinical data from over 72,000 ICU patient records collected over five years. The model demonstrated outstanding performance, achieving an AUROC of 0.97, an accuracy of 0.93, and an F1 score of 0.89​.

Unlike traditional decision-support systems that focus on specific patient subgroups, this AI model leverages a wide range of clinical biomarkers, including hemoglobin and platelet levels, to provide precise 24-hour transfusion predictions. The research team emphasizes the model's potential to optimize transfusion decisions, reduce complications, and improve resource management in ICU settings. Future plans include integrating the AI model into real-world clinical workflows to further validate its performance and enhance its impact on patient care.