An AI-Powered Clinical Decision Support System to Predict Flares in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Pilot Study

Treat-to-target (T2T) is a main therapeutic strategy in rheumatology; however, patients and rheumatologists currently have little support in making the best treatment decision. Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) could offer this support. The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy, effectiveness, usability, and acceptance of such a CDSS-Rheuma Care Manager (RCM)-including an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered flare risk prediction tool to support the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Longitudinal clinical routine data of RA patients were used to develop and test the RCM. Based on ten real-world patient vignettes, five physicians were asked to assess patients' flare risk, provide a treatment decision, and assess their decision confidence without and with access to the RCM for predicting flare risk. RCM usability and acceptance were assessed using the system usability scale (SUS) and net promoter score (NPS). The flare prediction tool reached a sensitivity of 72%, a specificity of 76%, and an AUROC of 0.80. Perceived flare risk and treatment decisions varied largely between physicians. Having access to the flare risk prediction feature numerically increased decision confidence (3.5/5 to 3.7/5), reduced deviations between physicians and the prediction tool (20% to 12% for half dosage flare prediction), and resulted in more treatment reductions (42% to 50% vs. 20%). RCM usability (SUS) was rated as good (82/100) and was well accepted (mean NPS score 7/10). CDSS usage could support physicians by decreasing assessment deviations and increasing treatment decision confidence.

Automated summary

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy, effectiveness, usability, and acceptance of the Rheuma Care Manager (RCM), a clinical decision support system (CDSS) with an artificial intelligence-powered flare risk prediction tool for managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The RCM showed high sensitivity, specificity, and an excellent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for flare risk prediction. The use of the RCM increased decision confidence, reduced deviations between physicians, and resulted in more treatment reductions. The usability and acceptance of the RCM were rated positively.