Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is a marker of inflammation linked to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and other forms of cardiovascular disease, even in healthy individuals with normal cholesterol. Awareness of elevated hsCRP can help identify people at increased risk and enable appropriate treatment that may improve their health outcomes.
To learn more about how hsCRP impacts individuals, the American Heart Association®, a global force changing the future of health for all, today announced the launch of the Systemic Inflammation Data Challenge, a new research initiative that will leverage advanced data science to explore how inflammation contributes to cardiovascular disease.
"The Systemic Inflammation Data Challenge aims to drive new understanding and inspire better, more equitable care by identifying how systemic inflammation affects cardiovascular outcomes," said Anum Saeed, M.D., American Heart Association volunteer, member of the expert panel for the data challenge and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. "We hope to spark discoveries that inform clinical practice as well as public health strategies through this innovative collaboration of data science researchers and clinicians."
Through the Association's Precision Medicine Platform, scientific researchers participating in the challenge will examine the specific role and mechanisms in which elevated levels of hsCRP contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. Participants have the option of using multiple datasets provided by the American Heart Association and/or using their own data to investigate how inflammation — especially when influenced by social drivers of health, which are the conditions in which people are born and live — may increase the risk of heart disease.
The top three submissions will receive awards totaling $75,000, including a $40,000 first prize. Finalists will present their findings at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions, with the goal of publishing results in peer-reviewed journals.
Funded in part by Novo Nordisk Inc., the challenge marks a strategic opportunity to identify solutions to, while elevating awareness about, inflammation's overall impact on heart health.
