Research indicates that one in four stroke survivors will suffer another stroke, but nearly 80 percent of those recurrences might be prevented with appropriate treatments and lifestyle changes.

That’s the backdrop for a study recently released at the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) Conference which suggests AI can be used to give stroke patients a more accurate risk assessment for the possibility of another one.

According to a press release accompanying the study, researchers used calculations based on both non-modifiable risk factors, such as age and ethnicity, and modifiable lifestyle risk factors and habits such as smoking, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, diet, obesity, physical activity levels and treatment compliance, as well as socio-economic factors.  Those stats were then used to make a more accurate prediction of an individual's risk of having a stroke recurrence within 3 months, one year, and more than a year, thus aiming to improve patients’ treatment adherence and prevent a recurrence.

The research, conducted by scientists from Vall d' Hebrón University, Barcelona, Spain, used a dataset of 41,325 patients admitted with a stroke diagnosis in 88 public hospitals over six years, and fed them into an AI-based model which was able to provide an individualised risk of stroke recurrence at three and 12 months.

"We were able to use AI to predict the stroke recurrence at 3 and 12 months on an individual level, and knowing this risk has clinical value for doctors and for patients,” said lead author Giorgio Colangelo, AI Research Manager at Vall d' Hebrón University Hospital's Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain. “Risk factors included high blood pressure and raised cholesterol, atrial fibrillation or sleep apnoea. We also determined and quantified what are the most relevant risk factors and which of them each patient can modify in his or her lifestyle."

It is estimated the frequency of people living with stroke will rise by 27% between 2017 and 2047 in the European Union (EU), which experts believe is due to an increase in the number of people over 70.

"We hope the data may be used to create a much more personalised prediction of if, and when, patients might have another stroke, and that by explaining the impact of individual risk factors, it will make patients more likely to comply with any treatment prescribed or lifestyle changes suggested, reducing the likelihood of having another stroke,” said Dr. Marta Rubiera, Neurologist at Vall d' Hebrón University Hospital and coordinator of the study.

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