Innovative multidimensional gait evaluation using IMU in multiple sclerosis: introducing the semiogram

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Quantifying gait with inertial measurement units is increasingly important for neurological patients.
• Degraded gaits in neurological conditions necessitate robust gait detection and analysis tools.
• Rigorously testing gait devices ensures their reliability and clinical relevance for routine use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a multidimensional score for quantifying and visualizing gait in neurological routine follow-up.
• To assess the reliability and clinical coherence of this gait quantification method.
• To evaluate the method in progressive multiple sclerosis (pMS) patients with severe gait impairments and healthy subjects (HS).

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study included 22 pMS participants and 19 HS over 18 months.
• Participants performed a 10-meter walk test with a U-turn at multiple time points.
• Gait parameters were analyzed to evaluate seven clinical criteria, generating a multidimensional visual tool called a semiogram.

Main Results:

• The semiogram demonstrated moderate to very high test-retest reliability for most criteria.
• Significant differences in partial scores were observed between pMS and HS groups.
• Specific neurological deficits correlated with alterations in particular gait criteria, indicating potential for differential diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• The multidimensional gait quantification (semiogram) offers an innovative approach to monitoring gait disorders.
• It serves as a reliable and informative biomarker for assessing gait impairment severity in pMS.
• The tool shows potential for discriminating between various underlying causes of gait alterations in pMS.