Current Parkinson’s Disease Motor Symptom Assessment Methods May Leave Room for Improvement
January 21st, 2009 by Maureen PhillipsKinesia is a compact patient worn device that was developed to measure and assess the severity of the motor symptoms associated with Parkinson’s, including tremor and bradykinesia. For more information on Parkinson’s, click here. Currently, symptoms are assessed using a subjective rating system called the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, or UPDRS. During a typical exam, patients are instructed to perform a series of motor tasks for evaluating symptoms. While the tasks are completed, a clinician watches and visually assess the symptoms, assigning a 0-4 score based on the severity with 0 being the absence of symptoms and 4 being the most severe.
Because of the subjective nature of the UPDRS, there is definitely room for error. Studies have shown that clinicians can score the same symptom severity differently on different days and different clinician scores can vary for the same severity level. Also, patient’s symptoms can vary greatly throughout the course of a day and a one time clinical visit can not capture these fluctuations. It is important to have a method that objectively and consistently tracks patient’s symptoms at the clinic and at home.
Better tracking of symptoms can be incredibly helpful for Parkinson’s patients. Medication is usually the first method of treating symptoms and there is a fine line between under-medicating a patient which can cause symptoms to still persist, prescribing just the right amount and over-medicating a patient which causes a patient to become dyskinetic, or to have wild involuntary movements.
Kinesia is a device that is worn on the hand of the patient while they complete tasks for assessing tremor and bradykinesia. The device then, using algorithms built into the software, automatically assigns a 0-4 score for the tasks. Kinesia provides a consistent repeatable method for evaluating and scoring symptoms and more objectively track the progression of the disease. The device can also be sent home with a patient and the tasks completed at regular intervals to monitor the fluctuation of the patient’s symptoms. Tracking these fluctuations with Kinesia could assist a clinician in regulating medication time and dosage, leading to increased time without symptoms and less of a risk of under or over medicating.
The latest version of Kinesia was just released in January, so check back regularly for updates on the device being used in the field, current clinical trials and new uses for Kinesia. Ultimately, the hope is to assist in creating an improved quality of life for Parkinson’s patients in the US and around the world.
Tags: bradykinesia, dyskinesia, kinesia, parkinson's disease, patient-worn, tremor, UPDRS
January 27th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
[...] CleveMed Blogs » Blog Archive » Current Parkinson’s Disease Motor … [...]
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March 26th, 2009 at 10:10 am
[...] scores that can occur between different clinicians for the same patient, which is an issue with the subjective UPDRS. Scores are also compared to the automated scoring provided by Kinesia which demonstrates the [...]
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June 25th, 2009 at 9:49 am
[...] symptom severity are the Essential Tremor (ET) clinical rating scales. These are similar to the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale in which a visual assessment by a clinician produces a numeric score that correlates to symptom [...]
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November 3rd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
[...] severity) scale is performed using a subset of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor section. Tasks typically consist of foot stomping while seated, gait assessment while [...]
November 11th, 2009 at 11:12 am
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My name is Steve Alten, I am the best-selling author of ten novels, including the MEG series, DOMAIN, The LOCH, and GOLIATH. Two years ago I was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease. I was 47 at the time, with no family history. Parkinsons is a degenerative disease that causes tremors and muscle rigidity. For me, the symptoms affect my dominant right side. My arm no longer swings freely when I walk, and doing certain activities can be challenging. I have never felt sorry for myself, I consider myself a lucky person and have too much in my life to be grateful for. So I will fight this setback as best as I can, and hopefully contribute something of value that can help find a cure, if not for myself then others.
Parkinsons is a disease that can be cured. Michael J. Fox and his foundation have done an incredible job organizing researchers to focus on the medical science that makes a difference.
Since my own diagnosis, I have asked myself what I can do to help. Writing books is a time-consuming labor, plus I spend time visiting schools, plus I have a family?plus I need to work out or my muscles stiffen up. Oh yeah, every day I answer 100 e-mails from fans. It?s a labor of love, as an author, my most valued asset is YOU, my readers. Over the last 13 years, I have worked hard to earn your trust. All of you who have ever e-mailed me know I ALWAYS RESPOND PERSONALLY. Students know I am always honored to answer their Q & A assignments for school. Thousands of teachers in the Adopt-An-Author program know I am always there to speak with their students via phone, e-mails, or personal visits.
Times are tight for many of us, and so many organizations need money ? I know because many of you contact me asking for donations on their behalf. I never say no. Over the years, I have also sent boxes of signed books to our soldiers overseas in appreciation for their sacrifice. But I need to do something to support the Michael J. Fox foundation, not because I have Parkinsons, but because I am convinced they are doing valuable work that can help all of us.
ONE REQUEST ? SIMPLE, PAINLESS & A BLESSING:
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and donate $10 dollars to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Please, only ten dollars. Because ten dollars from ten thousand Steve Alten readers CAN make a serious difference in the fight against a disease that affects millions of Americans?including this humble author.
My deepest heartfelt thanks, Steve Alten
Steve Alten
MEG82159@aol.com
http://www.SteveAlten.com
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December 15th, 2009 at 4:38 am
[...] bradykinesia is qualitative assessment by a clinician and score assignment (0 – 4) based on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). This score is assigned while the subject completes repetitive tasks of finger-tapping, hand [...]
May 16th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
What is Parkinson Disease…
Parkinson Disease is one of the commonest neurological diseases affecting the elderly. Definition: It is due to damage to the brain cells resulting in the reduction of specific brain chemical (dopamine). Epidemiology: The prevalence of the disease incr…
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