Embedding sensors into shopping trolleys could help to identify individuals who have atrial fibrillation, a European conference has heard.
UK research presented at CNAP 2023, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), in Edinburgh, Scotland, shows how the technology helped to identify people at risk of stroke.
Professor Ian Jones, of Liverpool John Moores University said their findings demonstrate the potential of taking health checks to people without disrupting their daily routines.
“Over the course of two months, we identified 39 patients who were unaware that they had atrial fibrillation,” he said. “That’s 39 people at greater risk of stroke who received a cardiologist appointment.”
The SHOPS-AF study involved placing a sensor in the handle of 10 shopping trolleys in four Liverpool supermarkets with pharmacies during the two month study.
Shoppers were asked to use a modified trolley and hold the handlebar for at least 60 seconds. If the sensor did not detect an irregular heartbeat, it lit up green. A researcher then undertook a manual pulse check to confirm there was no atrial fibrillation.
If an irregular heartbeat was found, the sensor lit up red and the in-store pharmacist completed a manual pulse check and another sensor reading using a standalone bar not attached to a trolley with the participant standing still.
The study cardiologist reviewed the ECG recordings of participants with a red light and/or irregular pulse, and were informed if there was no atrial fibrillation; if the ECG was unclear and they were invited to repeat the measurement; or if they could confirm atrial fibrillation and were given a cardiologist appointment within two weeks.
In total, 2,155 adults used one of the trolleys and ECG data were available for 220 individuals who either had a red light on the sensor and/or an irregular pulse.
After the study cardiologist reviewed the ECGs, there was no evidence of atrial fibrillation in 115 participants, 46 were unclear, and atrial fibrillation was diagnosed in 59 participants.
The average age of the 59 participants with atrial fibrillation was 74 years and 43% were women. Of those, 20 already knew they had atrial fibrillation and 39 were previously undiagnosed.
Professor Jones said: “Nearly two-thirds of the shoppers we approached were happy to use a trolley, and the vast majority of those who declined were in a rush rather than wary of being monitored.
“This shows that the concept is acceptable to most people and worth testing in a larger study. Before we conduct SHOPS-AF II, some adjustments are needed to make the system more accurate. For example, having a designated position on the bar to hold onto, as hand movement interfered with the readings. In addition, ESC Guidelines require just a 30 second ECG to diagnose atrial fibrillation,2 so we aim to find a sensor that will halve the time shoppers need to continuously hold the bar.”
He said checking for atrial fibrillation while people do their regular shopping holds promise for preventing strokes and saving lives.
“A crucial aspect is providing immediate access to a health professional who can explain the findings and refer patients on for confirmatory tests and medication if needed,” he added.
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