Objective: The study is to develop an accelerometer-based gait analysis for the patients with Parkinson’s disease, which would provide timely complete gait information following the treatment process.

Background: The most of patients with Parkinson’s disease experience walking and balance problem, which could occur in different stage. The gait impairment is more than an annoying symptom; it is also an important evaluation for treatment. The fact that gait analysis can only be performed in a clinical setting makes it inconvenient to assess patient status. It also prevents to realize the patient’s complete gait statuses.

Method: The accelerometer deployed in this study was the Xsens® MTW wireless motion tracker, which can measure linear acceleration in three dimensions. The developed gait analysis includes freeze of gait (FOG), gait rhythm, gait variability, and gait asymmetry. The Gaussian continuous Wavelet transform is used to process the accelerometer signal, which detect the initial contact time and final contact time between foot and floor, and then the rhythm, variability, and asymmetry are achieved [1, 2]. The FOG is examined in terms of the freezing index (FI) and energy index (EI), derived from the power spectrum density of the acceleration signals, wherein the power spectra of the acceleration signals can be separated into an FOG band and a normal gait band [3].

Results: Clinical trials have been approved by the Institutional Review Board of National Taiwan University Hospital that admits to recruit 24 subject patients. The preliminary trials with 4 subjects revealed that the EI and FI differ from subject to subject. This would necessitate the formulation of individual measurement baseline. Results in more subjects are necessary to facilitate baseline analysis.

Conclusion: Gait analysis basing on accelerometer would free from healthcare professionals and institutes, and the gait analysis of the Parkinson’s patient would be held even at home. And then would provide more comprehensive gait information timely, which could greatly assist physicians in the formulation of precise treatment plans, thereby reducing side effects and improving the patient’s quality of life.

References: 1. Del Din, S., Godfrey, A., & Rochester, L. (2015). Validation of an accelerometer to quantify a comprehensive battery of gait characteristics in healthy older adults and Parkinson’s disease: toward clinical and at home use. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 20(3), 838–847. doi: 10.1109/JBHI.2015.2419317 2. Godfrey, A., Lara, J., Munro, C. A., Wiuff, C., Chowdhury, S. A., Del Din, S., … Rochester, L. (2015). Instrumented assessment of test battery for physical capability using an accelerometer: a feasibility study. Physiological Measurement, 36(5), N71–83. 3. Moore, S. T., MacDougall, H. G., & Ondo, W. G. (2008). Ambulatory monitoring of freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 167(2), 340–348.

« Back to 2019 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/accelerometer-based-gait-analysis-for-patients-with-parkinsons-disease/