118. Quantitative Assessments of Finger Individuation with an Instrumented Glove

Abstract

PURPOSE: In clinical and research settings, hand dexterity is often assessed as finger individuation, or the ability to move one finger at a time. Despite its clinical importance, there is currently no standardized, sufficiently sensitive, or fully objective platform for these evaluations. This study aimed to assess the repeatability of quantitative finger individuation metrics using a commercially available instrumented glove. METHODS: Here we developed two novel individuation scores and tested them against a previously developed score from the literature using a commercially available instrumented glove and data collected from 20 healthy adults. Participants performed individuation for each finger of each hand as well as closing their hand into a fist and opening again at two study visits separated by several weeks. Using the three individuation scores, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC’s) and minimal detectable changes (MDC) were calculated. Individuation scores were further compared to with subjective assessments to assess validity. RESULTS: We found that each score emphasizes different aspects of individuation performance while generating scores on the same scale (0 [poor] to 1 [ideal]). These scores are repeatable, but the quality of these metrics vary by both equation and finger of interest. For example, index finger intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC’s) were 0.90 (<0.0001), 0.77 ([<0.001), and 0.83 (p<0.0001), while pinky finger ICC’s were 0.96 (p<0.0001), 0.88 (p<0.0001), and 0.81 (p<0.001) for each score. Similarly, MDCs also vary by both finger and equation. In particular, thumb MDCs were 0.068, 0.14, and 0.045, while index MDCs were 0.041, 0.066, and 0.078. Furthermore, objective measurements correlated with subjective assessments of finger individuation quality for all three equations (rho=-0.45, p<0.0001; rho=-0.53, p<0.0001; rho=-0.40, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: This work represents the first healthy participant data set for this translatable and objective measurement and scoring platform. Our finger individuation platform provides objective, quantitative assessments of patients with peripheral nerve and hand injury. Real-time scoring can quantify the extent of recovered finger dexterity both in the operating room and in outpatient follow-up.