Evolving a Bayesian classifier for ECG-based age classification in medical applications

Abstract

Objective-To classify patients by age based upon information extracted from their electrocardiograms (ECGs). To develop and compare the performance of Bayesian classifiers.Methods and Material-We present a methodology for classifying patients according to statistical features extracted from their ECG signals using a genetically evolved Bayesian network classifier. Continuous signal feature variables are converted to a discrete symbolic form by thresholding, to lower the dimensionality of the signal. This simplifies calculation of conditional probability tables for the classifier, and makes the tables smaller. Two methods of network discovery from data were developed and compared: the first using a greedy hill-climb search and the second employed evolutionary computing using a genetic algorithm (GA).Results and Conclusions-The evolved Bayesian network performed better (86.25% AUC) than both the one developed using the greedy algorithm (65% AUC) and the naïve Bayesian classifier (84.75% AUC). The methodology for evolving the Bayesian classifier can be used to evolve Bayesian networks in general thereby identifying the dependencies among the variables of interest. Those dependencies are assumed to be non-existent by naïve Bayesian classifiers. Such a classifier can then be used for medical applications for diagnosis and prediction purposes.

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Classification of electrocardiogram and auscultatory blood pressure signals using machine learning models

“…Based on 12 extracted features, the Bayesian network produced an accuracy rate of 86.25% (Wiggins et al, 2008). Another Bayesian-based method was utilized in analyzing interval ECG signals (Lee, McManus, Bourrell, Sörnmo, & Chon, 2013).…”

“…A Bayesian-based classifier was used in classifying patients according to statistical features extracted from their ECG signals (Wiggins, Saad, Litt, & Vachtsevanos, 2008). Based on 12 extracted features, the Bayesian network produced an accuracy rate of 86.25% (Wiggins et al, 2008).…”