FedCVD++: Communication-Efficient Federated Learning for Cardiovascular Risk Prediction with Parametric and Non-Parametric Model Optimization

TL;DR

FedCVD++ is a federated learning framework that combines parametric and non-parametric models to improve cardiovascular risk prediction while significantly reducing communication costs and addressing class imbalance across institutions.

Contribution

This paper introduces FedCVD++, the first practical federated healthcare system integrating non-parametric models with novel communication-efficient strategies and class imbalance solutions.

Findings

Federated XGBoost outperforms centralized (F1=0.80 vs. 0.78)

Federated Random Forest matches non-federated performance (F1=0.81)

Communication strategies reduce bandwidth by 3.2X

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) cause over 17 million deaths annually worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for privacy-preserving predictive systems. We introduce FedCVD++, an enhanced federated learning (FL) framework that integrates both parametric models (logistic regression, SVM, neural networks) and non-parametric models (Random Forest, XGBoost) for coronary heart disease risk prediction. To address key FL challenges, we propose: (1) tree-subset sampling that reduces Random Forest communication overhead by 70%, (2) XGBoost-based feature extraction enabling lightweight federated ensembles, and (3) federated SMOTE synchronization for resolving cross-institutional class imbalance. Evaluated on the Framingham dataset (4,238 records), FedCVD++ achieves state-of-the-art results: federated XGBoost (F1 = 0.80) surpasses its centralized counterpart (F1 = 0.78), and federated Random Forest (F1 = 0.81) matches non-federated performance. Additionally, our communication-efficient strategies reduce bandwidth consumption by 3.2X while preserving 95% accuracy. Compared to existing FL frameworks, FedCVD++ delivers up to 15% higher F1-scores and superior scalability for multi-institutional deployment. This work represents the first practical integration of non-parametric models into federated healthcare systems, providing a privacy-preserving solution validated under real-world clinical constraints.