Master's Thesis

Predictive Modeling of Kidney Stone Composition Using Blood and Urine Biomarkers

Bernardo Pavoeiro Santos2025

Key information

Authors:

Bernardo Pavoeiro Santos (Bernardo Pavoeiro Santos)

Supervisors:

Alexandra Maria Moita Antunes (Alexandra Maria Moita Antunes); Maria da Conceição Esperança Amado (Maria da Conceição Esperança Amado)

Published in

06/18/2025

Abstract

Patients with recurrent kidney stones face a higher risk of developing Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), marked by progressive kidney function loss. Identifying stone types typically requires invasive procedures. This study explores a less invasive alternative by analyzing blood and urine biomarkers to predict stone composition, aiming to personalize treatments and enhance patient outcomes.Initially, clustering analysis was performed on kidney stone data to assess alignment with traditional classifications. The Ward method yielded eight clusters consistent with literature. This segmentation informed the subsequent classification phase, which sought to predict kidney stone types using two approaches. The first used clinical, blood, and urine data to classify stones into calcium oxalate, phosphate, and uric acid/urate types. The second assessed the predictive potential of novel urinary biomarkers. Findings revealed strong predictive performance even when using only blood or only urine data, offering a less invasive and efficient diagnostic alternative. While new biomarkers alone were insufficient for accurate classification, their integration with traditional variables enhanced prediction accuracy. This dissertation demonstrates the potential of combining biomarker data with clinical variables to predict stone type early in CKD progression. These insights represent a significant step toward more personalized, non-invasive approaches to managing kidney stones, contributing to improved outcomes for CKD patients.

Publication details

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Fields of Science and Technology (FOS)

mathematics - Mathematics

Publication language (ISO code)

por - Portuguese

Rights type:

Embargoed access

Date available:

06/18/2027

Institution name

Instituto Superior Técnico