S.P.7 Validation trial of a movement Holter monitor based on accelerometry for the non-ambulatory neuromuscular patients

Abstract

Abstract One of the most important and challenging issues regarding the clinical trials in non-ambulatory neuromuscular patients is the lack of a reliable and reproducible evaluation method, sensitive enough to quantitatively assess the function of the upper limbs of disabled patients. A movement Holter monitor composed of tri-axial accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer is being developed in France at the Institute of Myology in collaboration with SYSNAV Company. The measuring principle is based on inertial sensors. The device is sufficiently light and non-intrusive to be worn as a watch and has 18 h of autonomy. A validation trial of a wireless version of the system is ongoing in 10 non-ambulant neuromuscular patients. The upper limb function of the patients wearing the device is evaluated during a series of different filmed tasks. The evaluations take place at the Institute of Myology at the day of the inclusion and are repeated 14 days after. The system contains a second set of inertial sensors placed on the wheelchair in order to detect its movement. Between the two visits, the patients are continuously recorded in their own environment during daytime. The measurements were feasible even in a very weak 29 year-old Duchenne patient. The data permit to explore new variables representing the upper limb activity level and quantify specific movements. In a preliminary phase, the orientation of the wrist and periods of activity could be identified during a given period of time. Subsequent analyses will assess the identification, characterization and quantification of movements of the wrist taking into account the wheelchair movement. The novelty of this project resides in the possibility of a quantitative evaluation of non-ambulatory neuromuscular patients with limited abilities both in a standardized setting and in their natural environment, thanks to the high-autonomy of this wireless device and its high accuracy.