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. 2024 Jul 26;24(15):4854.
doi: 10.3390/s24154854.

Subjective and Objective Day-to-Day Performance Measures of People with Essential Tremor

Navit Roth  1   2 , Adham Salih  2 , Sara Rosenblum  1
Affiliations

Subjective and Objective Day-to-Day Performance Measures of People with Essential Tremor

Navit Roth et al. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

This paper aims to map the daily functional characteristics of people diagnosed with essential tremor (ET) based on their subjective self-reports. In addition, we provide objective measurements of a cup-drinking task. This study involved 20 participants diagnosed with ET who completed the Columbia University Assessment of Disability in Essential Tremor (CADET) questionnaire that included five additional tasks related to digital equipment operation we wrote. Participants also described task-performance modifications they implemented. To create objective personal performance profiles, they performed a cup-drinking task while being monitored using a sensor measurement system. The CADET's subjective self-report results indicate that the most prevalent tasks participants reported as having difficulty with or requiring modifications were writing, threading a needle, carrying a cup, using a spoon, pouring, and taking a photo or video on a mobile phone. Analysis of participants' modifications revealed that holding the object with two hands or with one hand supporting the other were the most prevalent types. No significant correlation was found between the CADET total scores and the cup drinking objective measures. Capturing patients' perspectives on their functional disability, alongside objective performance measures, is envisioned to contribute to the development of custom-tailored interventions aligned with individual profiles, i.e., patient-based/smart healthcare.

Keywords: ADL; essential tremor; functional disability; modifications.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have neither financial nor non-financial competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cup accelerometer axes layout.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cup position states: State 1—On the table, start position; State 2—Mid-duration between States 2 and 3; State 3—Near the mouth, before drinking; State 4—Near the mouth, after drinking, start of returning the cup to the table movement; State 5—Mid-duration between States 4 and 6; State 6—Contact with the table, end of returning movement.
Figure 3
Figure 3
MSE Calculation.
Figure 4
Figure 4
MSE-T 5–6 Measure vs. CADET Score.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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