The tech firm Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Canada (MTP-CA) is developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-based program designed to identify individuals who may present the debilitating condition of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
The company introduced the program on Wednesday and it is based on analyzing de-identified electronic medical records (EMRs) to do follow-ups or refer to a specialist.
The program “Process for Progress in ALS: An EMR-based Practice Enhancement Initiative” uses a clinical algorithm called MDd-5 and was created to support healthcare professionals and speed up decisions regarding follow-ups or referrals.
The condition’s early diagnosis and treatment can improve outcomes but it can be difficult to diagnose. ALS Centre of Excellence at The Neuro in Montreal executive director Angela Genge said that the more time that passes before diagnosis, the fewer opportunities exist for disease management for someone living with ALS.
“Process for Progress in ALS is a unique advancement in AI medical technology which can help HCPs identify patients who present multiple warning signs for ALS so that they can receive expedited follow-ups, diagnoses, and treatment if needed,” Genge said.
ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease is a progressive neurological disease that causes muscle weakness and eventual paralysis. It affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to the loss of voluntary muscle control. There is no cure for ALS, and treatment primarily focuses on managing symptoms and providing support to improve the patient’s quality of life.
Read more: Artificial intelligence can be used to detect polycystic ovary syndrome: NIH study
Read more: AstraZeneca invests US$42M in Verge Genomics AI drug discovery platform
The MNd-5 algorithm serves as a clinical decision support tool designed to assist community neurologists in identifying individuals for whom follow-up investigations for ALS or referral to a specialty center may be clinically warranted. It achieves this by prioritizing patients for clinical review and comparing their presenting characteristics and EMG findings to a reference population.
This reference population includes patients diagnosed with ALS in whom ALS has been ruled out, as well as consecutive community neurology patients in whom ALS and other motor neuron diseases were not previously suspected.
This algorithm is operationalized within the Toronto Data Lab of Ensho Health, where it is offered as a service. This service is accessible to approximately 80 per cent of community neurologists through integrations with various electronic medical record systems, including Epic, Cerner, Accuro, OscarPro, Indivicare, Mediquest and others.
The Process for Progress in ALS initiative is a collaboration between MTP-CA and the program’s Steering Committee: Dr. Angela Genge, Executive Director, Clinical Research Unit at The Neuro in Montreal, Dr. Amer A. Ghavanini, Division Head of Neurology, Trillium Health Partners, and Dr. Amanda Fiander, Neurologist at Maritime Neurology.
“As a participant in the Process for Progress in ALS initiative, I believe it is a significant step forward to assist in our ability to identify ALS symptoms in the early stages and confidently refer people for further testing or to an ALS centre,” said Hamza Jalal, a neurologist at Oakville Valley Health.
“By intervening in patients’ journeys earlier in the course of their disease, we can provide access to multidisciplinary care, approved therapies or clinical trials that can slow the progression of the disease and enhance the quality of their lives.”
Natalia@mugglehead.com
Katherine Bhana
March 14, 2024 at 2:58 am
ALS is a cruel disease. My mum is 83 and had great difficulty speaking and swallowing much of anything. Food was getting trapped in her throat and blocking her air way was happening more often. she battled for each breath. The riluzole did very little to help her. The medical team did even less. Her decline was rapid and devastating. The psychological support from the medical centre was non-existent and if it were not for the sensitive care and attention of our primary physician, there she would have died. There has been little if any progress in finding a cure or reliable treatment. Acupuncture eased her anxiety a bit. this year our primary physician started her on Natural Herbs Centre ALS/MND Ayurvedic treatment, 6 months into treatment she improved dramatically. It has been a complete turnaround with her speech, she no longer needs the feeding tube to feed, the treatment is a miracle. She recovered significantly! Visit Naturalherbscentre
Katherine Bhana
March 14, 2024 at 3:03 am
ALS is a cruel disease. My mum is 83 and had great difficulty speaking and swallowing much of anything. Food was getting trapped in her throat and blocking her air way was happening more often. she battled for each breath. The riluzole did very little to help her. The medical team did even less. Her decline was rapid and devastating. The psychological support from the medical centre was non-existent and if it were not for the sensitive care and attention of our primary physician, there she would have died. There has been little if any progress in finding a cure or reliable treatment. Acupuncture eased her anxiety a bit. this year our primary physician started her on Natural Herbs Centre ALS/MND Ayurvedic treatment, 6 months into treatment she improved dramatically. It has been a complete turnaround with her speech, she no longer needs the feeding tube to feed, the treatment is a miracle. She recovered significantly!