Transducer-based evaluation of tremor.
The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society established a task force on tremor that reviewed the use of transducer-based measures in the quantification and characterization of tremor. Studies of accelerometry, electromyography, activity monitoring, gyroscopy, digitizing tablet-based measures, vocal acoustic analysis, and several other transducer-based methods were identified by searching PubMed.gov. The availability, use, acceptability, reliability, validity, and responsiveness were reviewed for each measure using the following criteria: (1) used in the assessment of tremor; (2) used in published studies by people other than the developers; and (3) adequate clinimetric testing. Accelerometry, gyroscopy, electromyography, and digitizing tablet-based measures fulfilled all three criteria. Compared to rating scales, transducers are far more sensitive to changes in tremor amplitude and frequency, but they do not appear to be more capable of detecting a change that exceeds random variability in tremor amplitude (minimum detectable change). The use of transducer-based measures requires careful attention to their limitations and validity in a particular clinical or research setting. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Clinical Trials Unit, Office of the Clinical Director, National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. dietrich.haubenberger@nih.gov.
Dietrich
D
Haubenberger
DINOGMI University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Abbruzzese
Department of Neurology, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Peter G
PG
Bain
Department of Neurology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Nin
N
Bajaj
Department of Neurology, University Hospital "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain.|Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.|Department of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.
Julián
J
Benito-León
Sobell Department for Movement Neuroscience, UCL, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom.
Kailash P
KP
Bhatia
Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
Günther
G
Deuschl
National School of Public Health and Red de Investigación en Servicios Sanitarios y Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC), Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.
Maria João
MJ
Forjaz
Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Mark
M
Hallett
Departments of Neurology and Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Elan D
ED
Louis
University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
Kelly E
KE
Lyons
Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders Center, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Tiago A
TA
Mestre
Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
Jan
J
Raethjen
Neurology Department, University of Athens, Greece and Neurology Department, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
Maria
M
Stamelou
Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute (SGH campus), Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
Eng-King
EK
Tan
Department of Neurology and Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Claudia M
CM
Testa
Department of Neurology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA.
Rodger J
RJ
Elble
D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D014159:Transducers / Q000592:standards*; D014202:Tremor / Q000175:diagnosis*
accelerometry; electromyography; reproducibility of results; transducers; tremor