Two prominent NHS hospital trusts in London are pioneering a new approach to detecting type 2 diabetes risk, using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze heart data and spot early signs of the condition up to ten years before it may develop.
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are collaborating on a groundbreaking trial using an AI system called Aire-DM. This system leverages patients’ ECG (electrocardiogram) heart traces to detect subtle early warning signs of type 2 diabetes that are often difficult for doctors to identify.
The initial results are promising, with the AI system able to detect potential risks with an accuracy of around 70%. Researchers are now planning clinical trials in 2025 to assess whether the technology can be scaled and integrated into routine healthcare.
Aire-DM works by analyzing the electrical activity of the heart, which is captured during a standard ECG. While an ECG is typically used to detect heart problems such as arrhythmias, the AI system is trained to look for variations in the heart’s electrical signals that can indicate underlying metabolic changes linked to type 2 diabetes. These changes are often too subtle for even highly trained doctors to detect with the naked eye.
According to Dr. Fu Siong Ng, the lead researcher on the project, the system’s predictive ability improves significantly when additional patient information—such as age, gender, and existing health conditions like high blood pressure or obesity—is incorporated into the analysis. “The system is already performing well using just the ECG data,” Dr. Ng explained. “But when we add background health factors, the AI’s accuracy improves, giving us a more robust prediction of diabetes risk.”
The current phase of the trial involves up to 1,000 patients at both hospital trusts, whose ECG scans will be analyzed by the AI system. Although the technology is not yet available for routine use, researchers are hopeful that AI-driven screening could be rolled out more widely across the NHS within the next five years.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is funding the research and emphasizes the potential life-saving benefits of early detection. “Early identification of those at risk of type 2 diabetes could prevent complications like heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular issues,” said Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the BHF. “This pioneering research demonstrates the power of AI to uncover insights that are otherwise invisible in standard clinical practice. It could be a game-changer in how we prevent the growing threat of type 2 diabetes.”
Type 2 diabetes is a rapidly increasing health challenge, particularly in the UK, where millions are at risk due to lifestyle factors such as being overweight and sedentary. Currently, many individuals remain undiagnosed for years, often until the disease has already begun to cause significant health issues. Dr. Faye Riley from Diabetes UK stressed the importance of early detection, noting that “AI-powered screening methods offer a promising new tool to identify people who are likely to develop type 2 diabetes long before symptoms appear, enabling them to access the support they need and reduce their risk of serious complications.”
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition where the body either cannot produce enough insulin or cannot use it effectively, leading to high blood sugar levels. Over time, high blood sugar can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney damage, and vision loss. Being overweight is one of the most significant risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, as excess fat can interfere with the body’s ability to produce and use insulin.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune condition, type 2 diabetes is often preventable with lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly. Early identification of those at risk could help to implement lifestyle interventions that delay or even prevent the onset of the disease.
As this AI-driven approach to diabetes detection advances, it could represent a significant shift in how healthcare systems worldwide tackle the growing diabetes epidemic. By identifying individuals at risk years before they develop the disease, medical professionals may be able to intervene early, offering targeted treatment plans that prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and its associated complications.
Read more:
- How Do You Get Type 2 Diabetes?
- How High Blood Sugar Levels In Type 2 Diabetes?
- Can Low Testosterone Cause Type 2 Diabetes?
