Hyperparameter optimization approaches to improve the performance of machine learning models for cardiovascular risk prediction

Abstract

Machine learning algorithms have been used in diverse areas among applications, including healthcare. However, to fit an effective and optimal machine learning model, the hyperparameters need to be tuned. This process is commonly referred to as Hyperparameter Optimization and comprises several approaches. We combined three Hyperparameter Optimization techniques (Bayesian Optimization, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Genetic Algorithm) with three classifiers (Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and XGBoost) to identify the best combination of hyperparameters that maximize model performance. We use the Framingham dataset to test the proposal. For classifier performance, the Support Vector Machine obtained the best result in recall (96.40%) and F-score (93.86%), while XGBoost obtained the best result in precision (96.30%) and specificity (96.36%). In the accuracy metric, both classifiers achieved 95%. Bayesian optimization had the best results in terms of accuracy, precision, specificity, and F-score metrics. Both Particle Swarm Optimization and Genetic Algorithm obtained the best result in the recall metric.