Design and development of an App-based point of care digital tool for diagnosis, treatment and self-monitoring of gout.
In this project, we studied the chronic disease Gout, its risk factors, symptoms, different progression stages, and challenges faced throughout history to manage and diagnose this disease. With advancements in the healthcare industry and medical sciences, we learned that we have modern laboratory methods and imaging techniques to diagnose gout in a patient.
We learned that gout is generally prevalent among 1–4% of the general population. And Approximately 3–6% of men & 1–2% of women suffer from gout in western countries. We observed that a Gout flare begins suddenly and usually lasts for days or weeks. After flares, long periods without symptoms follow -- weeks, months, or years -- until another flare occurs. There is typically only one joint suffering from gout at one time (asymmetrical joint pain). Most often, big toe joints are affected. The lesser toe joints, ankles, and knees are also commonly affected, as the big toe.
Using all the studies about symptoms, we formed a classification algorithm to diagnose gout using physical symptoms. We designed and developed a digital health care tool for diagnosing gout based on a classification algorithm capturing symptoms through user responses. And also provide treatment and management options for gout to the patients diagnosed with it.
After studying the treatment & management options, the following points can be concluded:
- In the absence of diseases such as gout or urolithiasis, elevated uric acid levels are not an indication for pharmaceutical treatment.
- Patients should be made aware of possible lifestyle changes after their first flare-up of gout. To improve patient compliance, patients should be educated.
- Besides pharmacological treatment, nonpharmacological treatment (raising and cooling the joint) may be recommended simultaneously.
- Acute gout can be treated with pharmacotherapy (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, or Colchicine). Pharmacotherapy is most effective if initiated as soon as possible, ideally within 12 to 24 hours.
- Implement a scoring-based algorithm to detect the progressed stage.
- Validation of the algorithm from patient and training supervised machine learning model from the data we collect.
- Development of sensor for measuring uric acid level in the body and Integration of output in mobile app.