Objective: to evaluate the long-term effect of dopaminergic treatment on gait in Parkinson’s disease

Background: monitoring the progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and response to treatment with digital monitoring is crucial for optimising patient management.

Method: thirty consecutive newly diagnosed de novo PD patients underwent extensive clinical , imaging and digital motor assessments at baseline before initiation of dopaminergic therapy and at a one-year follow-up. MDS-UPDRS-III scores quantified motor impairment, whereas wearable inertial sensors recorded spatiotemporal gait parameters, including step time, step length, and variability. Longitudinal changes were analyzed to assess the interaction between treatment effects and disease progression.

Results: At one Year, the mean MDS-UPDRS-III scores improved significantly (baseline: mean 24; one year: mean 20; p = 0.006), indicating symptomatic benefit (dopaminergic treatment with a mean levodopa equivalent dose of  210 mg. Gait analysis revealed a significant reduction in step time across all gait conditions (normal pace: baseline mean 0.55s; one year mean 0.53s; p = 0.004) and an increased step length in dual-task gait performance (baseline mean 0.53 m; one year mean 0.55m; p = 0.012), while step time variability remained unchanged.

Conclusion: in early PD phases, long-term dopaminergic treatment impact on both time and spatial components of gait with less impact on variability measures

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/long-term-effect-of-dopaminergic-treatment-on-gait-in-de-novo-parkinsons-disease-the-dna-mobile-health-technology-longitudinal-study/