From Nancy Lapid

May 3 (Reuters) - Researchers have concluded that a finger-worn device equipped with an artificial intelligence algorithm can accurately detect moderate to severe aortic stenosis, a life-threatening heart valve disorder, in dark-skinned patients who have historically had fewer opportunities to be diagnosed with the disease.

Aortic stenosis can be fatal if left untreated. Symptoms of this condition, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness, are often mistaken for normal signs of aging, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Older Black Americans are often less likely to be diagnosed with this condition and are more likely to die from it than other groups.

Researchers reported at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions meeting in Montreal that an artificial intelligence algorithm, which analyzes blood flow signals captured via a simple device placed around the finger, showed great effectiveness in identifying moderate to severe aortic stenosis in Black patients.

A total of 346 people, both with and without aortic stenosis, participated in a trial of Edwards Life Sciences' Acumin IQ device. The air-filled device is worn around the finger to continuously measure the patient's pulse and arterial blood pressure.

The researchers said the algorithm performed well across different ages and races, as well as among both males and females, without any observed bias. It correctly identified 90.5 percent of moderate to severe aortic stenosis cases in the overall patient group and 100 percent of cases in Black patients.

"Our findings give hope to groups that are likely to have fewer opportunities to access care," said Dr. Pedro Angel Gonzalez, head of the study team, from the Henry Ford Health Center in Detroit, in a statement.

The researchers stated that the device, which is attached around the finger, is affordable, easily deployable, and does not require specialized equipment for cardiology.

"Something as simple as a device that wraps around the finger and an algorithm can help improve early diagnosis and provide the care that patients need," Gonzalez said.