An innovative and groundbreaking initiative, named the ABSTRACT project, is set to revolutionize stroke prevention strategies in the United Kingdom with the support of a grant from the Medical Research Council. Spearheaded by a team of experts from the University of Plymouth, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, and the University of Exeter, this project holds great promise in enhancing the predictive capabilities regarding an individual’s susceptibility to strokes.
Strokes: A Leading Cause of Death and Disability
Strokes constitute a leading cause of death and disability in the UK, affecting around 100,000 individuals each year. One in seven strokes are estimated to be preventable. Therefore, this pioneering project’s potential impact is significant, given the devastating consequences of a stroke on individuals and their families, as well as the burden it places on healthcare systems.
Enhancing Stroke Prediction through artificial intelligence
The ABSTRACT project aims to leverage advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (ai), to identify individuals at heightened risk of experiencing a stroke. By analyzing past brain scans and medical test results of stroke survivors, researchers hope to discover patterns indicative of elevated stroke risk.
Subsequently, they plan to develop sophisticated ai models capable of forecasting an individual’s likelihood of suffering a stroke over the next decade. The use of ai in stroke prediction holds immense potential, as it can analyze vast amounts of data more effectively than humans and identify subtle trends that may be missed otherwise.
Collaborative Efforts for Improved Patient Outcomes
The ABSTRACT project employs a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together experts from health data science, radiology, neurology, and statistics. The team is collaborating closely with commercial providers of medical investigations, Express Diagnostics and Ultracardiac, to construct a comprehensive database comprising MRI and CT brain scans, electrocardiograms (ECG), and echocardiograms.
The support of the national Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC) further bolsters the project, ensuring a robust foundation for training ai models to predict stroke risk.
Transforming Healthcare with Cutting-Edge Technology
Dr. Stephen Mullin, Associate Professor in Neurology at the University of Plymouth and Principal Investigator of the ABSTRACT project, underscores the transformative potential of this initiative. The project aims to revolutionize stroke prevention strategies by integrating state-of-the-art ai techniques, including explainability tools for discerning predictive factors.
By identifying individuals at heightened risk of stroke, interventions can be implemented proactively, potentially saving lives and alleviating the burden on healthcare systems. Moreover, these ai models may also provide valuable insights into the underlying causes of strokes, paving the way for new treatment strategies and ultimately, reducing the overall burden of this debilitating condition.
