HearteXplain: explainable prediction of acute heart failure and identification of hematologic biomarkers using EBMs and Morris sensitivity analysis

Hematological biomarkers have emerged as powerful tools in diagnosing Acute Heart Failure (AHF). This study introduces a novel diagnostic framework that integrates Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) with Morris Sensitivity Analysis (MSA) to enhance both the interpretability and performance of machine learning models in AHF detection. A dataset consisting of 425 AHF patients and 430 controls was analyzed using eight machine learning models, including XGBoost, Histogram-based Gradient Boosting (histGB), Explainable Boosting Machine (EBM), and Random Forest. Model performance was evaluated through metrics such as AUC, accuracy, precision, recall, and Brier score. Hyperparameters were optimized via Bayesian optimization. Feature importance was assessed using MSA to identify variables with the highest predictive influence. The histGB model achieved the highest performance with an AUC of 87.93%. Both MSA and EBM consistently identified PDW, RDW-CV, NEU, NEU/LY ratio, age, and WBC as top predictive features across multiple models. These hematological markers demonstrated strong potential for early diagnosis and risk stratification in AHF patients. This study presents a clinically relevant, interpretable, and cost-effective diagnostic strategy that combines XAI with MSA for AHF prediction. The framework enhances clinical trust and provides a pathway toward personalized treatment by identifying accessible hematological biomarkers. The integration of explainability into AI models improves their transparency and applicability in real-world clinical settings.