In a unique study conducted by researchers at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in the UK, supermarket trolleys were used as a diagnostic tool to assess the risk of stroke in 2,000 shoppers. The LJMU team modified regular trolleys by adding electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors to the handles, aiming to screen shoppers for atrial fibrillation (AF), an irregular heart rhythm that increases the risk of stroke.
Customers in four Sainsbury’s stores in Liverpool were given the modified trolleys during the research rather than standard ones. Unexpectedly, the sensors revealed a large number of subjects had AF. All AF sufferers were referred to cardiologists for additional testing and care, potentially reducing their risk of stroke.
The use of ECG-equipped trolleys is an invention that enables people to have their heart health frequently evaluated without interfering with their daily activities. This strategy may help fewer people have fatal strokes and cases of severe AF if it were applied more widely.
To use the “stroke-detecting” trolley, shoppers simply need to hold the handle for 60 minutes, during which the ECG sensors screen for AF. If irregular heartbeats are detected, a red cross appears as a warning on the trolley handle. If no AF signs are detected, a green tick sign indicates a normal heartbeat. During the study, over 2,000 shoppers were screened using the modified trolleys, with 220 cases showing red lights. Of these, 59 individuals were confirmed to have AF after being checked by a cardiologist.
While the trolleys demonstrated a detection rate of 70 to 93 percent for AF, manual tests revealed that only 25 to 50 percent of the individuals flagged by the trolleys actually had AF. This suggests that even while the trolleys offer a practical and accessible way to diagnose AF, the ECG sensors’ accuracy still has to be improved before the method is applied more widely.
Ian Jones, one of the researchers involved in the study, mentioned that most shoppers were receptive to using the modified trolleys, indicating their acceptance of the concept. However, adjustments are required to enhance the system’s accuracy before conducting a larger study (SHOPS-AF II).