Comparison of machine learning and conventional statistical modeling for predicting readmission following acute heart failure hospitalization

Introduction Developing accurate models for predicting the risk of 30-day readmission is a major healthcare interest. Evidence suggests that models developed using machine learning (ML) may have better discrimination than conventional statistical models (CSM), but the calibration of such models is unclear. Objectives To compare models developed using ML with those developed using CSM to predict 30-day readmission for cardiovascular and noncardiovascular causes in HF patients. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 10,919 patients with HF ( > 18 years) discharged alive from a hospital or emergency department (2004-2007) in Ontario, Canada. The study sample was randomly divided into training and validation sets in a 2:1 ratio. CSMs to predict 30-day readmission were developed using Fine-Gray subdistribution hazards regression (treating death as a competing risk), and the ML algorithm employed random survival forests for competing risks (RSF-CR). Models were evaluated in the validation set using both discrimination and calibration metrics. Results In the validation sample of 3602 patients, RSF-CR (c-statistic = 0.620) showed similar discrimination to the FineGray competing risk model (c-statistic = 0.621) for 30-day cardiovascular readmission. In contrast, for 30-day noncardiovascular readmission, the Fine-Gray model (c-statistic = 0.641) slightly outperformed the RSF-CR model (c-statistic = 0.632). For both outcomes, The Fine-Gray model displayed better calibration than RSF-CR using calibration plots of observed vs predicted risks across the deciles of predicted risk. Conclusions Fine-Gray models had similar discrimination but superior calibration to the RSF-CR model, highlighting the importance of reporting calibration metrics for ML-based prediction models. The discrimination was modest in all readmission prediction models regardless of the methods used.