The relationship between clinical subtypes, prognosis, and treatment in ICU patients with acute cholangitis using unsupervised machine learning methods

We identified and externally validated two clinically meaningful AC subtypes with distinct prognoses. A simplified model using five readily available variables facilitates clinical application and can support more individualized treatment approaches. These data-driven subtypes offer additional prognostic discrimination beyond the Tokyo Guidelines, serving as a valuable complement to existing severity classifications for guiding precision management of ICU patients with AC.