Artificial intelligence (AI) can provide same-day assessments of antimicrobial resistance for patients in intensive care—critical to preventing life-threatening sepsis. Antimicrobial resistance, the process of microorganisms developing defenses against treatment, poses a huge challenge to health care around the world. It is estimated to cause 1.
2 million deaths globally and cost the NHS at least £180 million per year. Infections in the bloodstream can become resistant to antibiotics and lead to the life-threatening condition, sepsis. Once the infection has reached a stage of sepsis there is a high probability that patients will rapidly develop organ failure, shock, and even death.
Some patients have more antimicrobial resistance than others, due to previous exposure to antibiotics, their genetics and even diet, which can alter their microbiome. Now, scientists are harnessing the power of AI to assess the antimicrobial resistance of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) and identify sepsis-causing bloodstream infections. Researchers from across King's College London and clinicians at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust have collaborated in this interdisciplinary study —which they hope will help to improve outcomes of critically ill patients.
The research is published in the journal PLOS Digital Health . Making significant steps forward in this field, the team showed how AI and machine learning can provide same-day triaging for patients in ICU, particularly in envi.
