title: Web-based evaluation of Parkinson's disease subjects: objective performance capacity measurements and subjective characterization profiles.
abstract: Parkinson's Disease (PD) is classified as a progressively degenerative movement disorder, affecting approximately 0.2% of the population and resulting in decreased performance in a wide variety of activities of daily living. Motivated by needs associated with the conduct of multi-center clinical trials, early detection, and the optimization of routine management of individuals with PD, we have developed a three-tiered approach to evaluation of PD and other neurologic diseases/disorders. One tier is characterized as 'web-based evaluation', consisting of objective performance capacity tests and subjective questionnaires that target history and symptom evaluation. Here, we present the initial evaluation of three representative, self-administered, objective, web-based performance capacity tests (simple visual-hand response speed, rapid alternating movement quality, and upper extremity neuromotor channel capacity). Twenty-one subjects (13 with PD, 8 without neurologic disease) were evaluated. Generally good agreement was obtained with lab-based tests executed with an experienced test administrator. We conclude that objective performance capacity testing is a feasible component of a web-based evaluation for PD, providing a sufficient level of fidelity to be useful.
authors.affiliation: Human Performance Institute, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019-0180, USA. gvk@hpi.uta.edu
authors.forename: George V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Kondraske
authors.forename: R Malcolm
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface