Big Data in Chronic Kidney Disease: Evolution or Revolution?

Abstract

Digital information storage capacity and biomedical technology advancements in recent decades have stimulated the maturity and popularization of “big data” in medicine. The value of utilizing big data as a diagnostic and prognostic tool has continued to rise given its potential to provide accurate and insightful predictions of future health events and probable outcomes for individuals and populations, which may aid early identification of disease and timely treatment interventions. Whilst the implementation of big data methods for this purpose is more well-established in specialties such as oncology, cardiology, ophthalmology, and dermatology, big data use in nephrology and specifically chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains relatively novel at present. Nevertheless, increased efforts in the application of big data in CKD have been observed over recent years, with aims to achieve a more personalized approach to treatment for individuals and improved CKD screening strategies for the general population. Considering recent developments, we provide a focused perspective on the current state of big data and its application in CKD and nephrology, with hope that its ongoing evolution and revolution will gradually identify more solutions to improve strategies for CKD prevention and optimize the care of patients with CKD.