Global Kinetics Wearable Device Provides Clinically Meaningful Improvement in Assessing and Managing Parkinson’s Disease

Using a wearable technology (PKG) (Personal Kinetograph; Global Kinetics, Portsmouth, NH) cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), over 40,000 reports from individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been recorded and used by more than 200 Parkinson’s care centers. The PKG provides objective ambulatory measures of PD symptoms, including bradykinesia, dyskinesia, and tremor. 

Analysis of baseline data from the PKG showed that 54% of people reporting clinical measures with PKG had uncontrolled but likely treatable bradykinesia and 10% had uncontrolled, but likely treatable dyskinesia. For those who continued using the PKG, subsequent measurements showed significant improvements in bradykinesia and dyskinesia (P < .05). These data suggest that the objective measurement data collected on wearable technology can enhance clinical decision making to improve motor symptom management. These data were presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting May 4-10, Philadelphia, PA.  

In a study conducted at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of California-Irvine, 63 patients with PD were assessed every 3 months and wore a PKG for 6 continuous before a physician visit. As reported at the Parkinson’s Disease Study Group in April 2019, PKG enabled improved dialogue with patients in 59% of visits and improved the ability to assess treatment effects and symptom progression in 38% and 33% of visits, respectively. In addition, 53% of patients stated they agreed or strongly agreed in PKG training, usability, performance and satisfaction and 40% of patients felt PKG had a very valuable impact on their care.  The PKG reports were used to make 74 treatment plan changes, including addition of medication, changed dosage, and timing of medicine for 79% of patients across 84% of visits. 

Stuart H. Isaacson, MD, director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center in Boca Raton, FL and investigator in the APPRISE study, commented, “Our team is excited to be a part of this postmarketing study, which will contribute to the growing body of data supporting the value of continuous objective monitoring in the management of patients with PD. Use of the PKG in our clinic has enhanced conversations with our patients and our ability to determine when treatment plans should be adjusted to provide more optimal care.”

Participants are being recruited for a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial (NCT03741920) to evaluate use of PKG plus medical history versus standard of care in assessment of people with PD.