Artificial intelligence and big data to improve osteoarthritis treatment

Osteoarthritis, often known as wear-and-tear arthritis, is a widespread condition that affects the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people across the globe. Despite its prevalence, there is still a lack of effective ways to predict how the disease will progress and to tailor treatments to individual patients. A new European research project aims to change that.

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The University of Southern Denmark contributes strong research expertise

‘Patient Relevant Osteoarthritis Endpoints using Big Data Evaluation’ – or PROBE – is a five-year project involving 38 partners from universities, healthcare systems, industry and patient organisations across Europe.

The University of Southern Denmark is among the participants, represented by Professor Søren Thorgaard Skou from the Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics.

According to Søren Thorgaard Skou, PROBE presents a unique opportunity to rethink how osteoarthritis is treated in the future by combining data from more than 70 million people.

- With access to high-quality Danish health data and recognised expertise in both clinical practice and osteoarthritis research, the University of Southern Denmark will help develop new, advanced and personalised models based on artificial intelligence.
- These models will be used in both research and clinical settings. The aim is to enable earlier, more targeted treatment and, ultimately, to improve quality of life for patients across Europe.

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Personalised medicine and better support for clinical decisions

As part of the project, researchers will develop digital tools to support both clinical care and the design of future trials. Using artificial intelligence and large volumes of data from existing studies and health registries, the goal is to predict how the disease will progress in each individual and identify the most effective treatment options.

The project will also make use of so-called digital twins – virtual patient models that simulate different treatment pathways. These models will give both patients and healthcare professionals a stronger basis for making decisions together.

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Local analysis of data – with full data protection

A key component of PROBE is the creation of a new digital infrastructure where health data is not shared directly between countries. Instead, all data remains local and is analysed under common standards. This ensures privacy while making it possible to use data from more than 70 million individuals.
The infrastructure is designed to comply with current data protection laws and is aligned with upcoming European regulations on artificial intelligence and health data.

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Research that makes a difference

The results from PROBE could make a significant difference for people living with pain and reduced mobility due to osteoarthritis. By enabling earlier detection and more targeted treatments, the hope is that more patients will avoid long treatment courses with limited effect and instead experience improved quality of life.