Research Discovery: A Simple Heart Test Could Help Detect Serious Liver Disease Earlier

May 21 5:10pm | Jasmine Souers | @jasminesouers

About The Study

This study looked at whether a common heart test—called an electrocardiogram (ECG) – can be used in a new way to help find serious liver disease (cirrhosis) earlier, before symptoms appear.

Researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze ECG results and flag people who might be at higher risk of advanced liver disease. The goal was to see if this approach could help doctors catch liver problems sooner during routine care.

How It Works

Many people already get ECGs as part of routine healthcare.
The AI tool looks for subtle patterns in the ECG that may be linked to liver disease.
If the AI flags someone as “high risk,” their doctor is alerted.
The doctor can then order follow-up tests (like blood tests or imaging) to check the liver more closely.

This creates a two-step process:

Screening with AI + ECG
Follow-up liver testing if needed

Key Findings

Over 15,000 patients were included in the study.
Using the AI tool doubled the number of new diagnoses of advanced liver disease:
- About 1.0% detected with AI vs. 0.5% without
Among people flagged as high risk by AI:
- Detection was much higher (4.4% vs. 1.1%)
The approach also found more cases of early-stage liver damage (fibrosis):
- 1.7% vs. 0.5% overall
Patients diagnosed earlier were less likely to experience severe complications during the study period.

Overall, the AI-assisted ECG helped doctors identify liver disease earlier than usual care alone.

Community Impact

This approach could have meaningful benefits for communities:

Earlier detection saves lives: Liver disease is often found too late—this tool helps catch it sooner, when it’s easier to treat.
Accessible and low-cost: ECGs are already widely used, including in primary care and rural settings, making this approach scalable.
Better reach for high-risk populations: Many people at risk (such as those with diabetes, obesity, or high blood pressure) already receive ECGs, making this a natural opportunity for screening.
Supports prevention and lifestyle changes: Early diagnosis can encourage healthier behaviors and allow access to new treatments that may slow or even reverse disease progression.
Reduces health disparities potential: Because it uses routine care tools, this method could help improve access to early diagnosis in underserved communities.

A routine heart test—enhanced with AI—could become a powerful, low-cost way to find serious liver disease earlier, improving outcomes and expanding access to care.

Doug A. Simonetto, M.D. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-04058-y