A study published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease describes how an app, called ‘SleepFit’, could be used as a useful tool in monitoring symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD)—a slow progressive neurological disorder affecting movement, muscle control and balance.
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"The importance of accurately assessing motor symptoms is pivotal in the clinical follow-up of patients with PD. In fact, physicians' therapeutic decisions rely on the subjective information provided by a patient just as much as on the physical examination. This is particularly important considering that antiparkinsonian medications need to be prescribed at their minimal effective doses to optimize mobility, while minimizing undesirable side effects," explained Pietro Luca Ratti, MD, PhD, researcher at the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Switzerland, and now at the Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Department of Neurology, Pierre Zobda-Quitman University Hospital, Fort-de-France, Martinique.
In order to treat symptoms of PD, it is critical to perform routine clinical assessments regarding involuntary movements, hand dexterity, walking, and changing position. The SleepFit app will allow PD patients to report their symptoms on regular basis from the comfort of their own home.
"We believe that a prospective approach would enable better clinical evaluation of patients' subjective symptoms and, thus, better clinical management of the patients themselves," said Dr. Ratti. "Although SleepFit is still under development, we believe it will eventually become a powerful tool to support patient evaluation in real-life conditions, encompassing motor and non-motor symptoms of PD."
Source: Science Daily