Digital heart- and lung sounds as indicators of cardiopulmonary impairment in the general population

Auscultation of heart and lungs is crucial in physical examinations but is subjective and reliant on the examiner´s hearing, interpretation of the sounds and the quality of the stethoscope.

Misinterpreted sounds can lead to undetected serious illnesses and undue investigations placing excessive burden of the health care system.

This project involves researchers with expertise in general practice, pulmonology, cardiology, imaging, and clinical physiology.In this observational cross-sectional study, we will invite 5000 research subjects, who have accepted participation in the reinvestigation of the Swedish CardioPulmonary Investigation Study (SCAPIS2) in Linköping and Uppsala.

Inclusion is scheduled to Q1 2024-Q2 2025.

Using a digital stethoscope connected to a mobile application, heart and lung sounds will be recorded and analyzed for associations with findings on computed tomography of heart and lungs and findings on echocardiography and dynamic spirometry.This study aims to improve diagnostic methods for cardiopulmonary diseases in primary care by, analyzing different sound patterns and their association with strucural and functional findings, thereby improving patient outcomes, and reducing delays and worries for patients.

By enhancing our understanding of different heart and lung sound patterns this study will facilitate development of deep learning algorithms, which can help guide wise decision-making in primary care.