Database of intensive care patient data


The IMPROVE data library (improving control of patient status in critical care) is a comprehensive collection of recordings of continuously monitored signals and other patient data recorded at the intensive care unit of Kuopio University Hospital, Finland, during 1995-1996. Funded by the EU as part of the BIOMED-1 program, the library contains more than 1300 hours of data from 50 intensive care patients who had a high risk of oxygen transport related problems.

Contents

The data library consists of digital recordings of continuously monitored signals, clinical patient data and continuous patient state annotations. Stored in the European data format, the signals recorded are typically:

  • ECG (2 channels);
  • systemic blood pressure;
  • pulmonary arterial pressure;
  • central venous pressure;
  • airway flow and pressure;
  • concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the airway gases.

EEG (2 channels) was recorded from 7 patients. The other information is the clinical data which is routinely available in intensive care, i.e.:

  • laboratory results;
  • fluids and medication;
  • nursing actions;
  • patient state assessments and scoring;
  • trend samples from the patient monitors (temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, etc.);
  • intermittently measured variables (e.g. cardiac output, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure).

In addition, the data is complemented by continuous annotations which were made by a physician who stayed at the patient's bedside throughout the recordings. These annotations include patient state assessment, observations of possible sources of artifacts for the signals (coughing, patient movements, routinely non-recorded nursing actions, etc.). The clinical data and annotations are stored in ASCII format.

Delivery media and tools

The data library is stored on nine CD-ROMs. It is accompanied by a software package which provides display of the data and the abaility to search for special episodes. The software runs on Windows 95 and Windows 3.11. In addition, tools for importing the data to MATLAB are provided. Tools based the European Data Format which are available in public domain may also be used for accessing the data.

The IMPROVE data library is available for companies, universities and research organisations at a nominal cost.

For further information contact
Dr Mark van Gils, VTT Information Technology, PO BOX 1206, FIN-33101 Tampere, Finland
tel. +358-3-316 3342
fax. +258-3-317 4102
email: mark.vangils@vtt.fi

References
IMPROVE Web-site: http://www.vtt.fi/tte/samba/projects/improve/improve.htm
IBIS Web-site: http://www.vtt.fi/tte/samba/projects/ibis/index.html
Korhonen I, Ojaniemi J, Nieminen K, van Gils M, Heikelä A, Kari A. IMPROVE Data Library : technical description and lessons learned. IEEE Eng Med Biol. In press.
Nieminen K, Langford RM, Morgan ERC, Takala J, Kari A. IMPROVE Data Library: clinical description. IEEE Eng Med Biol. In press.
Kemp B, Värri A, Rosa AC, Nielsen K, Gade J. A simple format for exchange of digitized polygraphic recordings, Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophys., 82:391-393; 1992