The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is set to launch the world’s first AI tool capable of identifying patients at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This innovative tool, developed over 13 years, will begin trials in 2025 at Imperial College London and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
The AI technology analyzes electrocardiogram (ECG) readings during routine heart scans to detect subtle changes often imperceptible to the human eye. Dr. Libor Pastika, a clinical research training fellow at Imperial College, emphasized the tool's potential to transform healthcare by revealing hidden insights within ECG data.
Dr. Pastika noted that Aire-DM could revolutionize early risk identification for type 2 diabetes in a cost-effective, accessible, and non-invasive manner. Additionally, the tool can identify prolonged electrical activation times and variations in the heart's electrical signal resetting, which are crucial for understanding diabetes' impact on heart structure and function.