Objective: To develop and validate new outcome measures of Parkinson’s disease (PD) using wearable sensors (MC10, BioStamp nPoint®) in a natural history study of four multi-modal technologies.

Background: Standard assessments of PD are subjective and restricted to in-clinic visits. Wearable sensors can objectively and continuously measure both motor and non-motor symptoms of PD in real-world settings. The MC10 sensors are lightweight, wireless, and designed for in-home use. Equipped with accelerometry, gyroscopy, and electrocardiography capabilities, these sensors may be able to quantitatively characterize features such as activity, tremor, gait, sleep, and autonomic function.

Method: This is a 2-year, prospective, observational study of 50 individuals: 35 with PD and 15 controls. Participants complete 4 in-person visits consisting of standard, clinical assessments of PD and sensor-related activities at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months. Three sensors are applied using double-sided adhesives to the chest and most affected or dominant arm and leg. After each in-person visit, participants wear the sensors daily for 1 week at home, including once overnight. De-identified data are transmitted daily via WiFi to a secure, cloud-based portal.

Results: To date, 33 individuals, 18 with PD (mean disease duration = 5.8 years) and 15 controls, have been enrolled and finished the first remote monitoring period. During the first full day of in-home use, 70% of participants completed the application process on the first try, and participants wore the sensors for a mean of 13.9 ± 1.2 hours. PD participants and controls were physically active for a mean of 124 ± 55 and 171 ± 65 minutes of this day, respectively. Baseline data from two PD participants showed an improvement in mean tremor index, a metric derived from the sensors that measures the amplitude of tremor on a scale of 0-100, in response to dopaminergic medication administration (OFF state tremor index = 43.8, ON state tremor index = 32.3, n = 2). Analysis of additional motor features, such as gait speed and step duration, is ongoing.

Conclusion: Preliminary results suggest that wearable sensors are a feasible and acceptable means of collecting frequent, objective information from individuals with PD on how the disease affects their daily life. This work will ideally generate new digital outcome measures that can improve clinical research and care.

« Back to MDS Virtual Congress 2020

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/wearable-sensors-a-real-world-characterization-of-parkinsons-disease/