Platform for measuring and analyzing MDS UPDRS data.
1. Introduction
The use of technology in the medical field encompasses a wide spectrum of applications, such as the implementation of virtual medical consultations and monitoring. These developments aim to improve the quality of medical service for the care of various diseases, for example, by generating more effective treatments, greater access to information, and rapid data analysis with a high level of reliability [1].
One particular disease that affects millions of people worldwide is Parkinson's disease, which, according to the WHO, impacts the brain and causes movement disorders, mental and sleep disturbances, pain, and other conditions [2]. This disease is known for its progression over time, so early diagnosis is crucial to initiate treatment in early stages [3].
One of the most widely used and comprehensive tools for the diagnosis of Parkinson's is the MDS-UPDRS (Movement Disorder Society - Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale), which serves to assess the severity of symptoms in patients. This scale consists of four parts that assess motor and non-motor aspects, rating each aspect from 0 (no problem) to 4 (severe problem). It is in the assessment of motor aspects where an opportunity presents itself to leverage technology as a significant support [4].
In these cases, measurements can ideally be performed automatically and easily. Therefore, the development of a portable device that can measure motor aspects such as stomp, heel, and arm swing is critical to improve the quality and efficiency of medical service. In addition, the need for a system that automates the storage, transport and visualization of the collected data completes this ambitious telemedicine project, which brings multiple benefits for both Parkinson's patients and medical staff.
5. References
[1] TecSalud. (2023). Tecnología en la salud: Su influencia e impacto. https://blog.tecsalud.mx/tecnologia-en-la-salud-su-influencia-e-impacto/
[2] World Health Organization. (2023.). Parkinson disease. https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/parkinson-disease
[3] Conoce el Parkinson. (2019.). Parkinson: diagnóstico precoz. ¿Cuál es su importancia?. https://conoceelparkinson.org/diagnostico/parkinson-diagnostico-precoz/
[4] Movement Disorder Society. (2019.). MDS-UPDRS: Escala unificada para la evaluación de la enfermedad de Parkinson (Versión en español). https://www.movementdisorders.org/MDS-Files1/PDFs/MDS-UPDRS_Spanish_FINAL.pdf