Academic CentreLeaders: prof. G. Petrovski, prof. Rasa Veskauskiene, prof. Vallo Volke, Dr. med. J. Sokolovska
Objective: a collection of data for further AI-based analysis
During WP1, minimum two subject visits are planned: recruitment and follow-up after 1 year (some patients will undergo several follow-up visits according to their ophthalmological condition). At each visit, eye fundus photo will be taken and images evaluated using manual and automated grading for diabetic retinopathy. Information about risk factors of diabetic retinopathy will be collected. We will collect data on traditional risk factors of complications of diabetes: data on ethnicity; age; gender; type, duration and treatment mode of diabetes; HbA1c and other blood and urine biochemical markers, blood pressure; hypertension; medications and co-morbidities; smoking; physical activity (using IPAQ questionnaire); anthropometric measures; socioeconomic status. Also, we will assess some novel risk factors: skin autofluorescence-based advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) (a non-invasive marker of accumulation of AGEs) will be determined in all participating countries using the Diagnoptics CE-marked AGE Reader. Oxygen saturation of retinal vessels will be collected in Norway using the non-invasive Oxymap fundus imager. Besides, partners in Baltic countries will collect biological samples of patients for future discovery studies.
The estimated number of enrolled patients will be 150–600/partner/year (800–1000 at the follow-ups with the estimation of drop-outs). All project partners will be involved in WP1.
Leaders: Dr. med. J. Sokolovska, prof. G. Petrovski, prof. Rasa Verskauskiene
Objective: to obtain AI-derived data on 1) risk factors of DR and its progression; 2) AI-derived personalized screening interval for participants.
The work in WP2 will include data mining and analysis of the first visit and the follow-up visits with classical statistical methods and machine-learning approaches to determine non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors of DR (traditional and novel), as well as risk factors for progression of DR at a certain time interval. Fundus images will be also incorporated into some of the AI-based prediction models. Further, during WP2 we will develop and validate a new risk-algorithm to stratify DM patients according to their modifiable risk factors and to estimate a time interval to the next control. All project partners will be involved in WP2.
Leaders: prof. G. Petrovski, prof. Vallo Volke
Objective: to perform the analysis of the cost-efficiency of the new DR screening and monitoring programme. Work in WP3 will include acquisition of data needed for the analysis in each country, and country-specific cost-effectiveness and cot-utility analysis will be done for each country. Estonia and Norway will be responsible for WP3.
Leaders: Dr. med. J. Sokolovska, prof. G. Petrovski, prof. Rasa Veskauskiene, prof. Vallo Volke
Project management activities will include weekly meetings of project personnel and meeting of the project Steering Committee (consists of the leaders of the countries chaired by Dr. med. J. Sokolovska), as well as regular communication with funding body. Dissemination of results will include project launch and closing activity as well as annual seminar for project target groups, quarterly updates of the webpages and Facebook profiles of partners, three publications in peer-reviewed science journals, publications/interviews in public media at all project sites, participation in 5 international scientific conferences, participation in the "European Researchers' Nights" and "Diabetes Day", presentations at the sittings of associations of clinicians at Project sites, Publications in the journals of patient associations.