A clinical decision support tool powered by artificial intelligence has been linked to a 27% reduction in recurrent vascular events – including stroke, heart attack, and related death – among patients recovering from acute ischemic stroke, according to a large-scale trial conducted across 77 hospitals in China.
The study, published today in The BMJ, involved 21,603 patients admitted within seven days of experiencing an acute ischemic stroke. Researchers compared outcomes for 11,054 patients who received care supported by the AI-powered system against a control group of 10,549 patients who received standard medical care. The AI tool analyzes brain scans to classify stroke causes and provides evidence-based treatment recommendations to physicians.
New vascular events occurred in 2.9% of patients in the intervention group – 320 out of 11,054 – compared to a higher rate in the control group, according to the study findings. The results were observed at three, six, and 12 months post-stroke.
The clinical decision support system (CDSS) was designed to improve the efficiency and scalability of stroke care, according to the researchers. They state the tool “offers a more efficient and scalable method for improving stroke care and prognosis, with the added benefits of lower cost and greater sustainability.”
The trial accounted for factors such as hospital region and grade, patient age, medication history, and lifestyle when assigning patients to intervention or control groups. Physicians in the intervention group received training on using the system.
A narrative review published in Cureus in September 2025 highlighted the growing integration of artificial intelligence into stroke care, encompassing diagnostic, predictive, and operational applications. The review, covering literature from 2015 to 2024, noted AI’s transformative potential in acute stroke management.
While a separate study presented at the International Stroke Conference (ISC) in February 2024 found that an AI-based clinical decision support system improved the quality of stroke care and reduced vascular events, it did not demonstrate a significant difference in modified Rankin Scale scores (3-6) at three months, suggesting the impact on functional disability outcomes requires further investigation.
Researchers have not yet released details on plans for wider implementation or further trials of the CDSS.
Leave a Reply