With wearable technology, patients are going to know before they further progress into the disease. They can then see that [wearable devices] are an option and they can get in contact with their provider about it. In the future, hopefully we will be going towards AI predicting and preventing symptoms. I think wearable technology really is coming to its full. At the MDS [Congress], there was a huge number of companies who are looking at monitoring PD with these devices and I think in the future, we’re going to see much more of that.
The increasing prevalence of individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a growing concern worldwide, primarily due to the aging global population. To address this challenge, the introduction of wearable devices in the field of healthcare has shown promise in enhancing the clinical care of PD patients while also reducing healthcare costs [1]. A recent research study published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation has indicated that wearable cueing devices may lead to an immediate enhancement in walking speed. However, further evidence is needed to determine their effectiveness in improving other aspects of gait and motor functions [2].
During the 2023 International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, which took place from August 27th to 31st in Copenhagen, Denmark, Dr. Alistair Mackett, the lead author, presented findings from a case study involving a 77-year-old PD patient with rapidly progressing freezing of gait observed over a 4-month period. The study involved the use of a focused vibrotactile stimulation and therapeutic device (FVCD), resulting in a sustained improvement in the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) III scores [3]. Following the patient’s adaptation to the device, the baseline MDS-UPDRS III score improved from 35 to 29 and remained at 28 during the 4-month follow-up visit.
Post-congress, Dr. Mackett, a specialist in movement disorders at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a clinical assessor at Charco Neurotech, participated in an interview with NeurologyLive® to delve further into the use of Charco’s CUE1 device, which was featured in the study. He discussed how CUE1 streamlines the management of PD symptoms for patients and shared preliminary data on the device’s safety and effectiveness. Additionally, from a clinical standpoint, Dr. Mackett offered insights into how wearable technology and AI mechanisms could potentially revolutionize PD care in the future.
Source NeurologyLive
