Quest Diagnostics adds AI-based testing to dementia portfolio

Quest Diagnostics unveiled a new artificial intelligence-based test service in the U.S. that aims to help physicians improve the detection of dementia and create better outcomes for patients.

Through a partnership with Raleigh, N.C.-based health technology company uMETHOD Health, the Secaucus-headquartered testing provider added the RestoreU Dementia Panel to its testing portfolio, according to a May 4 announcement.

Using AI, the service can generate a personalized patient care plan with evidence-based, actionable treatment recommendations incorporating results of laboratory tests ordered by physicians from Quest, along with patient health history.

The platform then assesses 50-plus risk factors, pinpointing areas of concern to develop recommendations for treatment.

According to Quest, those care plans may include pharmacological and supplementation-based treatment and lifestyle habit recommendations, which the physician can use to counsel the patient. The RestoreU service is an adjunct to, and not intended to replace, the physician’s judgment, the company noted.

With insights from the report, physicians may identify potentially reversible causes of cognitive decline, such as medication side effects or treatable hormonal imbalances, that mimic dementia. It may also assist in finding measures to potentially slow or, if possible, halt the disease’s progression, Quest said.

Characterized by a decline in memory, language, problem-solving and cognitive functioning, dementia is often unrecognized in affected patients. More than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, the most prevalent dementia, a number projected to reach 14 million by 2060.

Dementia is largely due to factors outside of an individual’s control, such as advanced age and genetics. Yet, growing evidence suggests preventive measures, from physical exercise to social interaction, may reduce risk of dementia.

Dr. Michael Racke, Quest’s neurology medical director, said, “With so much attention on emerging therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, it is easy to overlook the growing body of science suggesting a preventive care approach can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and other dementias in some patients.”

“In addition, not all cognitive disorders signify dementia and may, in some cases, be due to reversible causes. RestoreU provides robust personalized insights to help the physician tease out the confounding factors causing a patient’s cognitive decline and identify measures that may help improve care and outcomes,” Racke said.

The collaborative agreement between Quest and uMETHOD also marks the first time RestoreU is available nationwide.

The new offering complements Quest’s portfolio of dementia laboratory services, which includes more than 400 neurology tests based on next generation sequencing, tandem mass spectrometry and bioinformatics.