Thomas Wolfsegger1, Robert Pichler2, Hamid Assar3, Raffi Topakian4. 1. Department of Neurology 1, Kepler University Hospital-Neuromed Campus, Wagner-Jauregg-Weg 15, 4020, Linz, Austria. thomas.wolfsegger@kepleruniklinikum.at. 2. Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Kepler University Hospital-Neuromed Campus, Linz, Austria. 3. Department of Neurology 1, Kepler University Hospital-Neuromed Campus, Wagner-Jauregg-Weg 15, 4020, Linz, Austria. 4. Department of Neurology, Academic Teaching Hospital Wels-Grieskirchen, Wels, Austria.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Even experienced clinicians may encounter difficulties in making a definitive diagnosis in the early motor stages of Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated whether quantitative biomechanical trunk sway analysis could support the diagnosis of PD early on. METHODS: We quantified trunk sway performance using body-worn sensors during a test battery of six challenging gait conditions in a cohort of 17 early and untreated PD patients (with evidence of reduced tracer uptake in the basal ganglia on dopamine transporter scans) and 17 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). RESULTS: Compared to HC, the PD group (Hoehn & Yahr ≤ 2, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score: mean 13.7 ± 3.5 points) showed significant trunk rigidity in five challenging gait tasks (decreased medio-lateral direction and sway angle area). Post hoc receiver operating characteristic analysis of the significant parameters revealed excellent discrimination with high sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSION: In the early and untreated motor stages of PD, patients exhibit significant trunk rigidity during challenging gait tasks. Trunk sway motion recorded with body-worn sensors might be a useful tool to disclose a sometimes hard-to-trace cardinal motor sign of PD and support an early clinical diagnosis.
INTRODUCTION: Even experienced clinicians may encounter difficulties in making a definitive diagnosis in the early motor stages of Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated whether quantitative biomechanical trunk sway analysis could support the diagnosis of PD early on. METHODS: We quantified trunk sway performance using body-worn sensors during a test battery of six challenging gait conditions in a cohort of 17 early and untreated PD patients (with evidence of reduced tracer uptake in the basal ganglia on dopamine transporter scans) and 17 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). RESULTS: Compared to HC, the PD group (Hoehn & Yahr ≤ 2, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score: mean 13.7 ± 3.5 points) showed significant trunk rigidity in five challenging gait tasks (decreased medio-lateral direction and sway angle area). Post hoc receiver operating characteristic analysis of the significant parameters revealed excellent discrimination with high sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSION: In the early and untreated motor stages of PD, patients exhibit significant trunk rigidity during challenging gait tasks. Trunk sway motion recorded with body-worn sensors might be a useful tool to disclose a sometimes hard-to-trace cardinal motor sign of PD and support an early clinical diagnosis.
Authors: Jürgen Konczak; Daniel M Corcos; Fay Horak; Howard Poizner; Mark Shapiro; Paul Tuite; Jens Volkmann; Matthias Maschke Journal: J Mot Behav Date: 2009-11 Impact factor: 1.328
Authors: Walter Maetzler; Martina Mancini; Inga Liepelt-Scarfone; Katharina Müller; Clemens Becker; Rob C van Lummel; Erik Ainsworth; Markus Hobert; Johannes Streffer; Daniela Berg; Lorenzo Chiari Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-03-23 Impact factor: 3.240