Movement Measurements At Home for Multiple Sclerosis: Walking Speed and Cane Usage Measured by a Novel Infrared Sensor (P3.011)

Objective: To develop continuous in-home outcome measures to assess gait in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). Background: Gait disturbance is a major contributor to clinical disability in MS. Current standard methods for assessing gait in MS clinical care and research are limited by the infrequent sampling of clinic visits. A touchless shelf top sensor, using infrared technology to detect body movement without the use of wearables or carried sensors, was developed to assess walking speed and cane usage in real-time from homes of people with MS. Methods: Movement measurements were collected continuously for 4 months from six female people with MS (mean age 56.2, median EDSS 3.5, EDSS range 2-6.5). After two months, sensors were moved to a new location in the home. Spearman correlation was used to correlate in-home continuous gait outcomes with standard clinic gait outcomes. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare gait outcome for location and time of day. Results: Measured in-home average walking speeds (AWS) of users ranged from 0.33 m/s to 0.94 m/s. Peak walking speeds (PWS) ranged from 0.92 m/s to 1.51 m/s. Within-subject coefficient of variation for daily AWS was 10.1[percnt]. Patients had significantly faster walking speed in straight walking areas when compared to obstructed areas in the same home (AWS Z=-1.992, p<0.05; PWS Z=-2.201, p<0.05). There were no differences between morning and evening AWS or PWS. AWS demonstrated a moderately strong correlation with Timed 25-Foot Walk (ρ=-0.60, p=0.21). Home cane usage was detected with cane users twice as frequently as non-cane users in a cane-detection measurement. Conclusions: New non-wearable technology provides reliable and continuous in-home assessment of walking speed and cane usage. This study demonstrates feasibility for development of new continuous outcome measures to assess gait in MS and other neurological diseases. Disclosure: Dr. Smith has nothing to disclose. Dr. Varsanik has received personal compensation for activities with Atlas5D Inc., as an employee. Dr. Patel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gabel has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec. Dr. Phillips holds stock and/or stock options in Biogen Idec. Dr. Kimmel has received personal compensation for activities with Atlas5D Inc. as an employee. Dr. Klawiter has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals as a consultant.