Digital twin technology proves effective in diabetes care and in reducing cardiovascular disease risk

A groundbreaking study has revealed that employing a health application enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI) not only supports diabetes management but also considerably reduces the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). These findings were presented at the annual American Association of Clinical Endocrinology meeting, which took place from the 9th to the 11th of May, 2024, in New Orleans.

The research was led by Paramesh Shamanna, M.D., from the Bangalore Diabetes Centre in India, along with his team. They set out to assess the impact of digital twin (DT) technology on diabetes control, specifically looking at improvements in haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels and ASCVD risk over ten years. The study included 289 participants; 208 of these were assigned to the DT intervention group while 81 received the standard care.

The DT intervention utilised a mobile app that integrates AI with Internet of Things technology. This app analyses multidimensional data to provide tailored nutritional and health recommendations. After one year, an impressive 72.5 percent of participants in the DT group achieved sustained remission of diabetes. There was a marked improvement in HbA1c levels within this group, showing a significant decrease from baseline by an average of 3 percentage points compared to just a 0.2 point reduction in the standard care group.

Furthermore, the study highlighted a significant shift in ASCVD risk profiles after 360 days of using the digital twin technology. Within the DT group, 76.6 percent of individuals were categorised as low-risk, up from 49.1 percent at the start of the study. This was in stark contrast to the marginal improvement seen in the standard care group, where low-risk categorisation slightly rose from 43.2 to 45.7 percent.

Notably, the reduction in high-risk ASCVD profiles was more pronounced in the DT group, while there was no significant change in the standard care group. The comparison of changes in ASCVD risk between the two groups revealed a significant positive correlation, indicating a more substantial decrease in the DT group (-4.3 versus -0.97).

The authors of the study concluded that digital twin technology significantly boosts the reduction of HbA1c and diminishes the risk of ASCVD in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, offering a superior alternative to standard care. The results underscore the potential of precision diabetes management through advanced digital solutions.