THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A group of medical experts has launched a first-of-its-kind web application designed to simultaneously predict heart and kidney risks in patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Unveiled at the 14th Annual Global Diabetes Convention in Kovalam, organised by Jothydev’s Professional Education Forum (JPEF), the International Cardio-Renal Risk Assessment and Stratification (ICRAS) tool fills a critical gap in healthcare by mapping the bidirectional link between cardiovascular and kidney diseases, which existing models often overlook.
The digital tool functions through a structured questionnaire, collecting patient data across demographics, lifestyle, family history, and laboratory parameters. It processes standard clinical metrics – such as HbA1c, blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, and kidney function markers like eGFR and UACR – alongside lifestyle habits.
Presenting the tool, Dr Jothydev Kesavadev, organising secretary and managing director of Jothydev’s Diabetes Research Centre, explained that the app’s backend algorithm instantly calculates these variables into a single, standardised composite score from 0 to 100. A higher score indicates a greater risk of future complications, allowing clinicians to make fast, tailored treatment decisions to prevent early organ damage.
To ensure clinical accuracy for the Indian population, the model was evaluated using real-world datasets of 5,000 patients and further validated against a virtual cohort of over 100,000 individuals designed to reflect national age, gender, and diabetes prevalence demographics. Dr Kesavadev noted that testing across such a massive, diverse population ensures the tool performs consistently across different patient profiles.
The three-day convention, held under the theme “Helping You Choose the Best in Care,” was led by a team including organising chairman Dr Arun Shankar, conference director Sunitha Jothydev, convener Hariprasad, and scientific coordinator Anjana Basanth.
The core committee behind the development of this tool comprises an elite panel of national medical experts. Along with Dr Kesavadev, the panel includes Dr Sanjay Kalra (Bharti Hospital, Karnal), Dr Viswanathan Mohan (Madras Diabetes Research Foundation), Dr Atul Dhingra (Tantia General Hospital, Ganganagar), Dr Dinesh Khullar (Max Healthcare, New Delhi), Dr Kirtikumar D Modi (CARE Hospital, Hyderabad), among others.
Cutting-edge tech
To ensure accuracy for the Indian population, the model was evaluated using real-world datasets of 5,000 patients and further validated against a virtual cohort of over 100,000 individuals designed to reflect national age, gender, and diabetes prevalence demographics