SBRI Healthcare, which funded the study, is a UK government initiative aimed at promoting innovation in healthcare. It works closely with NHS partners to identify unmet clinical needs and provide support for developing solutions that enhance patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.
Cardisiography (CSG), a non-invasive, AI-based diagnostic tool, is designed to be a faster and more cost- effective method for identifying heart conditions compared to traditional methods. Through the study, the goal was to assess its impact in routine NHS clinical settings and determine its effectiveness in improving patient referrals to more specialized care when necessary.
Zur Studie
Background:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, making early and accurate diagnosis essential for improving patient outcomes. Traditional diagnostic tools, like ECGs, are often inadequate in primary care settings, leading to inaccurate and unnecessary referrals to secondary care.
Objective:
This pilot-study, conducted by SBRI Healthcare, aimed to evaluate the feasibility, diagnostic accuracy, care pathway effects, and clinical utility of the Cardisio test—a vectorcardiography-based tool—for early detection of CVD in primary care settings.
Methods:
Participants: 628 asymptomatic, elevated-risk individuals were recruited from three primary care settings in the West Midlands, UK.
Settings: GP practice, in-pharmacy setting, and outreach pharmacy.
Procedure: The Cardisiography test was administered by trained non-clinical staff.
Analysis: Test outcomes were compared with standard care to assess diagnostic accuracy, and the impact on secondary care referrals was analyzed.
Results:
- High Diagnostic Accuracy: The Cardisio test demonstrated:
- Sensitivity of 73.8%
- Specificity of 94.4%
- Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 80%
- Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 90.4%
- Strong Correlation with Clinical Decisions: A strong correlation was found between Cardisio results and clinical decisions for secondary care referrals (p<0.001).
- Positive Patient Feedback: Participants reported high satisfaction, with a Net Promoter Score of 88%.
- Cost-Effectiveness: The potential cost savings for the NHS in the West Midlands region alone were estimated at £9.7 million over five years, with a reduction of 27,789 unnecessary referrals. Since this calculation only accounts for referral costs in one of 42 regions, total savings across all regions would reach approximately £400 million for this service alone. Additional healthcare savings can be anticipated as early detection of heart disease reduces the need for costly treatments and diagnostics
- Ease of Use: Non-clinical staff were effectively trained to administer the test, confirming its scalability and feasibility for widespread use in non-clinical settings such as pharmacies.
- Remote and Community Testing: The Cardisio test enables community-based testing in pharmacies and outreach settings, improving access to heart disease screening and reducing health inequalities in underserved populations.
- ESG Results: The testing method through local GP surgeries and pharmacies showed a promising 60.7% CO2e reduction, a balanced gender ratio of 49:51, and included diverse ethnic minorities (67.8%). These results align with NHS sustainability goals.