Feasibility of virtual low-cost quantitative continuous measurement of movements in the extremities of people with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Virtual low-cost quantitative continuous measurement of movements in the extremities of people with Parkinson's disease. a b s t r a c t A low-cost quantitative continuous measurement of movements in the extremities of people with Parkinson's disease, a structured motor assessment administered by a trained examiner to a patient physically present in the same room, utilizes sensors to generate output to facilitate the evaluation of the patient. However, motor assessments with the patient and the examiner in the same room may not be feasible due to distances between the patient and the examiner and the risk of transmission of infections between the patient and the examiner. Therefore, we propose a protocol for the remote assessment by examiners in different locations of both (A) videos of patients recorded during in-person motor assessments and (B) live virtual assessments of patients in different locations from examiners. The proposed procedure provides a framework for providers, investigators, and patients in vastly diverse locations to conduct optimal motor assessments required to develop treatment plans utilizing precision medicine tailored to the specific needs of each individual patient. The proposed protocol generates the foundation for providers to remotely Abbreviations: ACL, 3.9 Arising from chair lower limbs [7]; ACU, 3.9 Arising from chair upper limbs [7]; FT, 3.4 Finger tapping [7]; FTL, 3.4 Finger tapping left [7]; FTR, 3.4 Finger tapping right [7]; HM, 3.5 Hand movements [7]; Ht, Height; ID, Identification; LA, 3.8 Leg agility [7]; MDS-UPDRS, Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [6]; PD, Parkinson's disease; PS, 3.6 Pronation-supination movements of the hands [7]; PT, 3.15 Postural tremor of the hands [7]; PTL, 3.15 Postural tremor of the hands left [7]; PTR, 3.15 Postural tremor of the hands right [7]; RTL, 3.17 Rest tremor amplitude lower limbs [7]; RTLC, 3.17 Rest tremor amplitude lower limbs counting [7]; RTU, 3.17 Rest tremor amplitude upper limbs [7]; RTUC, 3.17 Rest tremor amplitude upper limbs counting [7]; RTUCL, 3.17 Rest tremor amplitude upper limbs counting left [7]; RTUCR, 3.17 Rest tremor amplitude upper limbs counting right [7]; RTUL, 3.17 Rest tremor amplitude upper limbs left [7]; RTUR, 3.17 Rest tremor amplitude upper limbs right [7]; TT, 3.7 Toe tapping [7]; Wt, Weight.