• Posted September 5, 2024

New 'AI Stethoscope' Can Spot Pregnancy-Linked Heart Failure

An AI-enhanced digital stethoscope can help doctors detect a potentially deadly form of heart failure that can occur late in pregnancy, a new clinical trial reports.

The AI-driven stethoscope was 12 times more likely than traditional methods to spot heart pump weakness tied to peripartum cardiomyopathy, an uncommon form of heart failure linked to pregnancy, according to clinical trial results published Sept. 2 in the journal Nature Medicine. 

"Recognizing this type of heart failure early is important to the mother's health and well-being," said lead researcher Dr. Demilade Adedinsewo, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is tough to detect because its symptoms mimic those of pregnancy, including shortness of breath or swelling in the feet or legs, researchers said.

"The symptoms of peripartum cardiomyopathy can get progressively worse as pregnancy advances, or more commonly following childbirth, and can endanger the mother's life if her heart becomes too weak,” Adedinsewo added in a Mayo Clinic news release.

For the study, researchers recruited nearly 1,200 pregnant women in Nigeria, the nation with the world’s highest rate of pregnancy-related heart failure.

Women were randomly assigned to either typical obstetric care or experimental care using the AI digital stethoscope and a 12-lead AI-driven electrocardiogram.

Traditionally, doctors check for peripartum cardiomyopathy by using an X-ray or stethoscope to look for signs of fluid in the lungs, rapid heart rate or abnormal heart sounds, the American Heart Association says. Follow-up heart ultrasounds and lab tests are used to confirm suspected cases.

Clinical trial results showed that the AI-enhanced medical devices significantly helped doctors detect weakening heart muscles in pregnant women.

About 4% of women checked using the AI stethoscope were diagnosed with heart failure, compared with 2% of those provided traditional obstetric care, results showed.

Once detected, peripartum cardiomyopathy can be treated with medicine, Adedinsewo said. In extreme cases, a woman might require intensive care, a mechanical heart pump or a heart transplant.

"This study provides evidence that we can better detect peripartum cardiomyopathy among women in Nigeria. However, there are more questions to be answered," Adedinsewo said.

Researchers next plan to study how the AI stethoscope is used by Nigerian doctors and nurses, and how the device impacts pregnancy care in real-world situations. They also hope to launch clinical trials in the United States.

"Peripartum cardiomyopathy affects approximately 1 in 2,000 women within the U.S. and as many as 1 in 700 African-American women,” Adedinsewo said. “Evaluating this AI tool in the U.S. will further test its abilities in varied populations and healthcare settings."

More information

The American Heart Association has more on peripartum cardiomyopathy.

SOURCE: Mayo Cinic, news release, Sept. 3, 2024