At-home foot scanner detects warning signs of heart failure

Telegraph

3 days ago

Daily foot and leg scans can predict heart failure almost two weeks in advance, an NHS trial has suggested.
The at-home scanner, which is the size of a smart speaker, is attached to a wall and automatically collects images of a patient's ankles and legs each day to monitor swelling.
The device uses artificial intelligence to monitor changes by taking almost 2,000 photos a minute in order to analyse the level of fluid in the feet and ankles.
This water retention is known as oedema and is one of the three major warning signs that heart failure is becoming severe and could be fatal.
The scanner can then alert healthcare professionals to an increase in fluid so they can take action, such as by increasing medication.
Results from the foot study, which is being presented at the British Cardiovascular Society annual conference in Manchester, found the alerts came 13 days before a person would end up in hospital because of worsening heart failure.
The trial involved 26 heart failure patients from five NHS trusts who were enrolled between 2020 and 2022.
They were monitored using the AI scanner and were also asked to weigh themselves using Bluetooth-enabled scales.
There were seven instances of worsening heart failure detected in six patients, as well as one death.
The scanner, developed by Cambridge-based startup Heartfelt Technologies, is mounted on the wall and typically installed at a patient's bedside.
It works without Wi-Fi, and only scans the legs to a height of 50cm from the floor.
Signs of heart failure
Heart failure is a long-term condition that means the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly, usually because the heart has become too weak or stiff.
It is estimated that more than a million people are living with heart failure in the UK.
The three main symptoms that indicate the condition is getting worse are increased breathlessness, weight gain and swelling in the legs or ankles.
Dr Philip Keeling, senior author of the study and a consultant cardiologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'Only about half of people admitted to hospital with heart failure currently get assigned an early review by a heart failure nurse, who can check to see if they are suffering a harmful build-up of fluid because their heart is not working properly.
'Amid a shortage of heart failure nurses, a device like this can be like a virtual nurse, tracking people's health.'
Dr Keeling added: 'Living with heart failure can be overwhelming, with all the medications, medical tests and appointments, and the requirement to monitor your own health.
'This scanner, once it is installed, just automatically keeps an eye on you and alerts the heart failure nurse, which is a huge relief.'
At the end of the study, 18 of the 22 surviving patients kept the AI device.
Prof Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: 'This small study suggests a simple device could significantly improve outcomes for at-risk patients with heart failure by keeping them out of hospital.
'This study is a good example of how technology might aid earlier interventions and treatment, by allowing people to track a key sign of their heart health at home.
'Innovations with the potential to transform heart care in this way are a major part of the BHF's goal to save and improve lives of people living with cardiovascular disease.'