Predictability in Contemporary Medicine

Medical practice is increasingly coming under the guidance of statistical-mathematical models that are, undoubtedly, valuable tools but are also only a partial representation of reality. Indeed, given that statistics may be more or less adequate, a model is still a subjective interpretation of the r...

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Main Author: Michele M. Ciulla
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.510421/full
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author Michele M. Ciulla
Michele M. Ciulla
Michele M. Ciulla
author_facet Michele M. Ciulla
Michele M. Ciulla
Michele M. Ciulla
author_sort Michele M. Ciulla
collection DOAJ
description Medical practice is increasingly coming under the guidance of statistical-mathematical models that are, undoubtedly, valuable tools but are also only a partial representation of reality. Indeed, given that statistics may be more or less adequate, a model is still a subjective interpretation of the researcher and is also influenced by the historical context in which it operates. From this opinion, I will provide a short historical excursus that retraces the advent of probabilistic medicine as a long process that has a beginning that should be sought in the discovery of the complexity of disease. By supporting the belonging of this evolution to the scientific domain it is also acknowledged that the underlying model can be imperfect or fallible and, therefore, confutable as any product of science. Indeed, it seems non-trivial here to recover these concepts, especially today where clinical decisions are entrusted to practical guidelines, which are a hybrid product resulting from the aggregation of multiple perspectives, including the probabilistic approach, to disease. Finally, before the advent of precision medicine, by limiting the use of guidelines to the original consultative context, an aged approach is supported, namely, a relationship with the individual patient.
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spelling doaj.art-906286304e0c45718bb750ec58391e6a2022-12-21T21:25:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2021-06-01810.3389/fmed.2021.510421510421Predictability in Contemporary MedicineMichele M. Ciulla0Michele M. Ciulla1Michele M. Ciulla2Laboratory of Clinical Informatics and Cardiovascular Imaging, University of Milan, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, ItalyCardiovascular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, ItalyMedical practice is increasingly coming under the guidance of statistical-mathematical models that are, undoubtedly, valuable tools but are also only a partial representation of reality. Indeed, given that statistics may be more or less adequate, a model is still a subjective interpretation of the researcher and is also influenced by the historical context in which it operates. From this opinion, I will provide a short historical excursus that retraces the advent of probabilistic medicine as a long process that has a beginning that should be sought in the discovery of the complexity of disease. By supporting the belonging of this evolution to the scientific domain it is also acknowledged that the underlying model can be imperfect or fallible and, therefore, confutable as any product of science. Indeed, it seems non-trivial here to recover these concepts, especially today where clinical decisions are entrusted to practical guidelines, which are a hybrid product resulting from the aggregation of multiple perspectives, including the probabilistic approach, to disease. Finally, before the advent of precision medicine, by limiting the use of guidelines to the original consultative context, an aged approach is supported, namely, a relationship with the individual patient.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.510421/fulldiseasesKoch's postulatesmultifactorialrisk factorsCOVID-19susceptibility
spellingShingle Michele M. Ciulla
Michele M. Ciulla
Michele M. Ciulla
Predictability in Contemporary Medicine
Frontiers in Medicine
diseases
Koch's postulates
multifactorial
risk factors
COVID-19
susceptibility
title Predictability in Contemporary Medicine
title_full Predictability in Contemporary Medicine
title_fullStr Predictability in Contemporary Medicine
title_full_unstemmed Predictability in Contemporary Medicine
title_short Predictability in Contemporary Medicine
title_sort predictability in contemporary medicine
topic diseases
Koch's postulates
multifactorial
risk factors
COVID-19
susceptibility
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.510421/full
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