New
research shows that artificial intelligence (AI) could someday replace invasive
glucose testing. If the technology works, the switch would be particularly
significant for individuals with diabetes.
Some
recent reports in the media suggest that the
pace of AI development is slowing down.
Despite
this, AI developers continue to design cutting-edge technology that promises
to, someday, make daily life easier for everyone.
Certain
AI technologies are being tailored to improve treatments for specific health
issues. For example, scientists recently developed an AI system that can detect
low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia.
The
researchers hope that this system will enable patients to measure their blood
glucose levels without the need for an invasive method called a finger prick
test.
The
team recently published the results of a pilot study in the journal Scientific Reports.
For
many people, measuring blood glucose currently involves pricking a finger with
a needle attached to a device. The blood sample is then analyzed by a
continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which often needs to be calibrated at least
twice a day.
The
process can be difficult, uncomfortable, and inconvenient, especially for
children and people who need to test their blood in the middle of the night. As
a result, some people are unable to measure their levels as often or as
accurately as necessary.
The
researchers behind the current study hope that a noninvasive method will help
improve compliance rates, particularly among those who need to monitor their
glucose levels closely, such as people with diabetes.
The
new AI technology was developed at the University of Warwick, in the United
Kingdom, and it can detect hypoglycemia using electrocardiogram (ECG) signals
from the heart.
In
their study, the scientists demonstrated that this new technology is accurate
82% of the time, a rate similar to that of current CGM systems. Senior study
author Leandro Pecchia, Ph.D., an associate professor of biomedical engineering
at the university, commented:
“Our innovation consisted in using [AI] for
automatic detecting [of] hypoglycemia via few ECG beats. This is relevant
because ECG can be detected in any circumstance, including sleeping.”
Hypoglycemia
affects the electrophysiology of the heart, and because it has slightly
different effects on each individual’s heart, an AI system makes it possible to
monitor glucose levels in a highly personalized way.
In
the recent pilot study, the team used AI to automatically detect nocturnal
hypoglycemia from just a few heartbeat signals recorded by a wearable device.
The study included healthy individuals, whom the scientists monitored for 24
hours a day for 14 consecutive days.
This
study was unique because the scientists monitored the participants’ glucose
levels individually, whereas previous trials had analyzed results from the
participants as a group.
The
authors believe that their new approach captures the considerable diversity in
ECG signals among individuals, which previous trials could not accurately
incorporate.
The
wave-shaped readouts from an ECG machine give a detailed picture of how the
heart is behaving; each section of the wave provides information about specific
cardiac events, such as heartbeats.
The authors behind the current study developed a way
to visualize precisely which part of the ECG wave is associated with a
hypoglycemic event.
This
could result in a real-time alarm system that alerts individuals if their blood
sugar levels change dramatically. Having such an early warning could
drastically shorten the amount of time that a person experiences hypoglycemia,
which can be very dangerous, especially for people with diabetes.
The
team’s new method is one example of precision medicine that could vastly
improve the way that people manage diabetes. While there is still some way to
go before this technology becomes available, the initial results are promising.
AI
has been controversial since its conception. However, while certain
technologies may evoke visions reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984,
they could alternately hold the promise of a world in which technological
innovation complements medicine to improve the lives of millions of people.
If
successful, the technology tested in the present study could pave the way for
many more uses of AI and electrophysiology of the heart. It could also possibly
be used to manage a variety of disorders that result from changes in the blood,
with highly personalized precision.
Source: Medical News Today
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