Session Information
Date: Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Session Title: Technology
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Exhibit Hall C
Objective: To use the Parkinson’s KinetiGraph™ (Global Kinetics CorporationTM, Australia) to help identify uncontrolled Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms and assist changes in clinical management leading to improved patient outcomes.
Background: Objective measurement can now be used to assist in routine clinical management of PD similar to other diseases like diabetes and hypertension.
Methods: This was a single-centre, prospective, feasibility study. PD patients were referred by their general neurologist if both the patient and doctor perceived that PD symptoms were controlled. Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either have a clinical exam first then have the PKG reviewed or have the PKG reviewed first then have a clinical exam. The MDS recorded if the patients were considered to be well controlled or uncontrolled after each clinical exam and after each PKG report. The MDS advised the patient and made any needed treatment changes using both the PKG and consultation. Follow-up visits (with PKG) occurred to achieve symptom control. Once control was achieved, patients were discharged from the study.
Results: 28 of 40 consented patients were eligible for the study. 4 of 28 were identified as optimally controlled by both the clinical history and PKG. 24 patients were uncontrolled (3 with dyskinesia and 21 with bradykinesia); 16 were identified as uncontrolled by both the clinical history and PKG, 8 were identified as uncontrolled only via the PKG. Analysis of the 21 patients with uncontrolled bradykinesia showed statistically significant changes in the UPDRS III (p=0.005; median improvement=7) and Total UPDRS (p=0.002; median improvement=15) following intervention. In 8 patients recognized as poorly controlled only via the PKG, there was a statistically significant improvement in the UPDRS III (p=0.01; median improvement=13) and the Total UPDRS (p=0.01, median improvement=13).
Conclusions: This study suggests many patients with PD have treatable levels of PD symptoms that otherwise pass undetected without objective measurement. Objective measurement can help detect these uncontrolled patients and optimize therapy.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
P. Farzanehfar, M. Braybrook, K. Kotschet, M. Horne. Objective Measurement in Clinical Care of Patients with Parkinson’s disease: an RCT using the PKG [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2017; 32 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/objective-measurement-in-clinical-care-of-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-an-rct-using-the-pkg/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2017 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/objective-measurement-in-clinical-care-of-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-an-rct-using-the-pkg/