Agreement Between StepWatch3 and ActiGraph wGT3X+ for Measuring Step-Based Metrics in People With Peripheral Artery Disease

Abstract

The authors investigated the agreement between StepWatch3™ (SW3) and ActiGraph™ wGT3X+ monitors for measuring step-based metrics in patients with peripheral artery disease and older adults. In 23 patients with peripheral artery disease and 38 older participants, the authors compared the metrics obtained during an outdoor (400-m track) walking session (step count) and a 7-day free-living period (step count and 60/30/5/1-min maximal or peak step accumulation) using the SW3 (ankle) and the wGT3X+ (hip) with the low-frequency extension filter enabled (wGT3X+/LFE) or not (wGT3X+/N). During outdoor walking session, agreement was high, particularly for wGT3X+/LFE: correlations ≥.98, median absolute percentage errors <1%, and significant equivalence using a ± 15% equivalence zone or narrower. In free living, no wGT3X+ method was equivalent to SW3 for step count. The wGT3X+/LFE was equivalent to SW3 regarding all step accumulation metrics using a ± 20% equivalence zone or narrower, with median absolute percentage errors <11%. The wGT3X+/LFE method is the best option for comparisons with SW3 in peripheral artery disease and older adults.