NEW DELHI: Can Artificial Intelligence (AI)- enabled software improve clinical outcomes in patients with type II Diabetes and reduce the risk of heart and kidney diseases better than usual clinical care alone? A combined study conducted by AIIMs and other medical research centres suggests so!
In the study, a randomised control trial was conducted on diabetics with a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) software. The trial showed a 28 per cent reduction in macrovascular events like heart disease and neuropathy compared to routine medical care given to diabetic patients. It also presented a 32 per cent reduction in the occurrence of diabetic eye disease, decline in kidney function, and nerve pain.
According to researchers, the software is very important in clinical settings as it provides better monitoring and management of diabetes among patients. Besides, it can be run by any caregiver and does not necessarily require a doctor.
The trial included 1,146 patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes who were treated at ten outpatient diabetes clinics from January 2011 through September 2019. Participants were randomly chosen to receive either software-based care from trained non-physician care coordinators or the usual care.
“It has around 20 questions which any trained nurse or dietician can fill to assess the patient’s current health. Based on the inputs, the software would devise a medical care plan which involves medication and lifestyle changes. It will make digital health records of patients and remind the caregiver of follow-up appointments in case the patients miss them.
For every 13 patients treated with this, one major adverse cardiovascular event like heart attacks or strokes- or a microvascular event -like eye disease or decline in kidney function- was prevented, showcasing its profound impact on patient outcomes,” Prof (Dr) Dorairaj Prabhakaran, a co-author of the study said.