Artificial Intelligence tool successfully predicts fatal heart rhythm

In a Leicester study that looked at whether artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to predict whether a person was at risk of a lethal heart rhythm, an AI tool correctly identified the condition 80 per cent of the time.

The findings of the study, led by Dr Joseph Barker working with Professor Andre Ng, Professor of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Head of Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester and Consultant Cardiologist at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, have been published in the European Heart Journal – Digital Health.  

Ventricular arrhythmia (VA) is a heart rhythm disturbance originating from the bottom chambers (ventricles) where the heart beats so fast that blood pressure drops which can rapidly lead to loss of consciousness and sudden death if not treated immediately.  

NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow Dr Joseph Barker co-ordinated the multicentre study at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre,  and co-developed an AI tool with Dr Xin Li, Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering. The tool examined Holter electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 270 adults taken during their normal daily routine at home.    

These adults had the Holter ECGs taken as part of their NHS care between 2014 and 2022. Outcomes for these patients were known, and 159 had sadly experienced lethal ventricular arrhythmias, on average 1.6 years following the ECG.  

The AI tool, VA-ResNet-50, was used to retrospectively examine ‘normal for patient’ heart rhythms to see if their heart was capable of the lethal arrythmias.

Professor Ng said: “Current clinical guidelines that help us to decide which patients are most at risk of going on to experience ventricular arrhythmia, and who would most benefit from the life-saving treatment with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator are insufficiently accurate, leading to a significant number of deaths from the condition.

“Ventricular arrhythmia is rare relative to the population it can affect, and in this study we collated the largest Holter ECG dataset associated with longer term VA outcomes. 

“We found the AI tool performed well compared with current medical guidelines, and correctly predicted which patient’s heart was capable of ventricular arrhythmia in 4 out of every 5 cases.

“If the tool said a person was at risk, the risk of lethal event was three times higher than normal adults.

“These findings suggest that using artificial intelligence to look at patients’ electrocardiograms while in normal cardiac rhythm offers a novel lens through which we can determine their risk, and suggest appropriate treatment; ultimately saving lives.”

He added: “This is important work, which wouldn’t have been possible without an exceptional team in Dr Barker and Dr Xin Li, and their belief and dedication to novel methods of analysis of historically disregarded data.”

Dr Barker’s work has been recognised with a van Geest Foundation Award and Heart Rhythm Society Scholarship and more research will be carried out to develop the work further.

For the full paper, please visit   https://academic.oup.com/ehjdh/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ehjdh/ztae004/7591810

The NIHR Leicester BRC is part of the NIHR and hosted by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in partnership with the University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group.

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For media enquiries and interview requests, please contact: 

Joanna Jones, Science Communications Manager, NIHR Leicester BRC  on 07966 678057 or email Joanna.x.jones@uhl-tr.nhs.uk 

Notes for editors 

The NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre 

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is part of the NIHR and hosted by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in partnership with the University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group. 

The NIHR Leicester BRC undertakes translational clinical research in priority areas of high disease burden and clinical need. These are: 

• Respiratory and infection
• Personalised cancer prevention and treatment 
• Lifestyle (including diabetes) 
• Environment and health 
• Data innovation for multiple long term health conditions and ethnic health 
• Cardiovascular disease 

The BRC harnesses the power of experimental science to explore and develop ways to help prevent and treat chronic disease. It brings together 120 highly skilled researchers, 45 academic ‘rising stars’, more than 90 support staff and students and over 450 public contributors. By having scientists working closely with clinicians and the public, the BRC can deliver research that is relevant to both patients and the professionals who treat them. www.leicesterbrc.nihr.ac.uk  

The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:

• Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
• Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
• Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
• Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
• Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
• Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.

NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.
 

Leicester’s Research Registry was launch in May 2021 and will share opportunities to get involved in health research taking place in Leicester’s Hospitals, or being run with their research partners, such as the University of Leicester and Loughborough University, in their National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical Research Facility and Patient Recruitment Centre: Leicester.

To sign up to the registry, potential volunteers need to be over 18 years of age, live in the UK, and have a valid email address. You also have the option to select if there are particular areas of health research you are interested in. You will then receive regular updates on all the exciting opportunities to participate in the hospitals’ research.

To sign up, visit www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/researchregistry. You can also visit the dedicated Facebook page.