In this paper, our authors assess the feasibility of a digitized COA designed to video record the Timed up and Go (vTUG) test at home using the Atom5™ eCOA platform.
Background
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder. Current therapeutic trials investigate treatments that can potentially modify the disease course. Testing their efficiency requires frequent and precise clinical outcome assessments (COA) of symptoms that remain problematic under symptomatic treatments, such as gait and balance. Home-based examinations may enhance patient compliance and, in addition, produce more reliable results by assessing patients more regularly in their familiar surroundings.
Objective
The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of a digitized COA designed to video record the Timed up and Go (vTUG) test at home via a study-specific smartphone app for patients with PD.
Method
In this study, 28 patients were recruited and asked to perform at home each week a set of three consecutive vTUG tests over a period of 12 weeks using an app. The videos were subjected to a manual review to ascertain the durations of the individual vTUG phases, as well as to identify any errors or deviations in the setup that might have influenced the result. To evaluate the usability and user-friendliness of the vTUG and app, the System Usability Scale (SUS) and User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) were administered to patients at the study end.