SMARTPHONES
Smartphones and smartwatches are increasingly being used in the area of health, as new digital health technologies are developed and tested, including in PD. They represent a valid means of remote assessment of health status, by gathering real-world data outside clinic settings.
In the past 10 years, studies have been carried out on the use of smartphones for PD symptom measurement (Little, 2021). This is a promising area, as most people have a smartphone, which, by recording data on the holder through sensors, can be used to measure individual behaviours related to PD. These data can also be transmitted easily and in real-time to the treating physician.
In a study with 960 PwP, Omberg and collaborators found that speeded tapping was “predictive of self-reported PD status” and “correlated with in-clinic evaluation of disease severity when compared with motor Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS)” (Omberg, 2022).
Another study conducted in 316 persons with PD at an early stage used a smartphone and smartwatch to measure bradykinesia, bradyphrenia and speech, tremor, gait and balance through daily self-monitoring. It reported excellent adherence (96.3%) and correlated with corresponding MDS-UPDRS.
By providing reliable and valid estimates of the presence and severity of selected motor and non-motor signs and symptoms, this technology has the potential to represent a valuable instrument not only for self-monitoring PD progression but also to facilitate objective monitoring of symptoms in B1 therapy for PD.
In the past 10 years, studies have been carried out on the use of smartphones for PD symptom measurement (Little, 2021). This is a promising area, as most people have a smartphone, which, by recording data on the holder through sensors, can be used to measure individual behaviours related to PD. These data can also be transmitted easily and in real-time to the treating physician.
In a study with 960 PwP, Omberg and collaborators found that speeded tapping was “predictive of self-reported PD status” and “correlated with in-clinic evaluation of disease severity when compared with motor Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS)” (Omberg, 2022).
Another study conducted in 316 persons with PD at an early stage used a smartphone and smartwatch to measure bradykinesia, bradyphrenia and speech, tremor, gait and balance through daily self-monitoring. It reported excellent adherence (96.3%) and correlated with corresponding MDS-UPDRS.
By providing reliable and valid estimates of the presence and severity of selected motor and non-motor signs and symptoms, this technology has the potential to represent a valuable instrument not only for self-monitoring PD progression but also to facilitate objective monitoring of symptoms in B1 therapy for PD.
Selected references
Little MA. Smartphones for Remote Symptom Monitoring of Parkinson's Disease. J Parkinsons Dis. 2021;11(s1):S49-S53.
Omberg L., Chaibub Neto E., Perumal T.M. et al. Remote smartphone monitoring of Parkinson’s disease and individual response to therapy. Nat Biotechnol 40, 480–487 (2022).
Lipsmeier, F., Taylor, K.I., Postuma, R.B. et al. Reliability and validity of the Roche PD Mobile Application for remote monitoring of early Parkinson’s disease. Sci Rep 12, 12081 (2022).
Text author: Sergio Pièche
Page updated - 24/04/23
Page updated - 24/04/23