Partnership Develops AI-Driven Aortic Aneurysm Surveillance Program

University of California (UC) Davis Health has partnered with artificial intelligence (AI) software company Illuminate to develop a centralized abdominal aortic aneurysm surveillance program aimed at identifying at-risk patients who may have been ‘lost-to-follow-up’ as a result of missed care during the COVID-19 pandemic or due to other factors.

According to the Society for Vascular Surgery, an abdominal aortic aneurysm is the ballooning of a portion of the aorta caused by the thinning and weakening of the artery’s wall. When this portion of the aorta stretches or swells to more than 50 percent of its original diameter, it is classified as an aneurysm.

The Society for Vascular Surgery further reports that approximately 200,000 people in the US are diagnosed with the condition each year. A ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm is the 15th leading cause of death nationwide and the 10th for men over 55.

The press release notes that early detection and monitoring of these aneurysms are crucial to prevent adverse outcomes.

“Abdominal aortic aneurysms that have been discovered prior to rupture need to be measured, closely monitored and evaluated for treatment,” explained Matthew W. Mell, MD, medical director of the Vascular Center at UC Davis Health, in the press release. “Small aneurysms, those less than five centimeters in diameter, can often be left untreated, yet they need to be observed periodically to check for growth.”

However, many at-risk abdominal aortic aneurysm patients at UC Davis Health missed this surveillance and early intervention because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.

To address this, the health system has implemented Illuminate’s Discovery 360 Services and ActKnowledge AI software to help identify existing patients in the UC Davis Health EHR system who may have an abdominal aortic aneurysm and require follow-up care.

As part of the surveillance program, identified at-risk patients are contacted by a nurse navigator, who educates the patient on the importance of follow-up and ongoing surveillance for abdominal aortic aneurysms, explains the surveillance program, and outlines the process.

“The goal of this program is to support primary care physicians to manage our AAA patients with small aneurysms before they become a problem, and streamline the process of vascular surgery referrals,” said Mell. “We hope this will help improve patient outcomes by reducing the risk of a patient experiencing an aneurysm rupture by offering AAA repair to appropriate patients.”

The press release states that in the first six months of the program’s implementation, UC Davis Health identified over 11,000 patients with some mention of AAA in their EHRs who may benefit from monitoring. Following the review process, nurse navigators contacted patients when appropriate.

Currently, 1,119 patients flagged by the platform are under active surveillance and management by a nurse navigator. Of these patients, 81 have visited UC Davis Health for additional monitoring efforts or care, which has resulted in 146 diagnostic imaging studies, one diagnostic angiogram, and 10 surgical procedures, according to the press release.

This is the latest in a series of efforts to leverage AI to improve cardiovascular care.

In February, researchers from Michigan Medicine shared that they had developed an AI method capable of mapping changes in the aortic wall and measuring aortic growth, which can help clinicians identify aortic aneurysms and other potentially life-threatening heart conditions earlier.