Researchers have found that a small device mounted on a finger and powered by an artificial intelligence algorithm is able to accurately detect cases of moderate to severe aortic valve stenosis, a serious heart disease that may be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, especially in patients with dark skin, who have historically had lower diagnosis rates.
Aortic valve stenosis is one of the conditions that may develop silently, as its symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness, are similar to signs of aging, which often leads to delayed detection.
During the presentation of the results at a medical meeting in Montreal, the researchers explained that the algorithm analyzes blood flow signals through a simple device placed on the finger to continuously measure the pulse and arterial pressure, and it has shown high effectiveness in monitoring cases, including an accuracy that reached 90.5% in general, and 100% in black patients within the study.
The trial included 346 participants with and without the disease, using a device known as “Acumen IQ” from Edwards Lifesciences.
The research team indicated that this technology is characterized by being low-cost, easy to use, and does not require specialized medical equipment, which may contribute to improving the chances of early diagnosis, especially for groups less fortunate in obtaining health care.
