Mobile health and Parkinson: what is the future?

• Published in: BMJ health & care informatics 2015-11, Vol.22 (4), p.377-378
• Main Author: Muhammad, Marium Gul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Cellular telephones; Fatigue - diagnosis; Feasibility studies; Female; Humans; Male; mobile health, Parkinson’s disease, self-management, tremors; Parkinson Disease - diagnosis; Parkinsons disease; Smartphones; Telemedicine; Telemedicine - instrumentation; Tremor (Muscular contraction); Tremor - diagnosis; Tremor - physiopathology
• ISSN: 2058-4555; 2058-4563; 2632-1009
• DOI: 10.14236/jhi.v22i4.180

Marium Gul Muhammad, Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Baba-e-Urdu Road, Karachi, Pakistan [e-mail] Parkinson disease (PD) affects an estimated 0.3% population of developed countries with the frequency rising among the elderly at a rate of 1% above the age of 60 years.1 PD’s diagnosis is limited only to a periodical review of only medical history and neurological examination by a physician in clinical settings. A few years later, iTrem mobile phone application for Iphone users was developed, which allowed patients to easily measure their tremors by a built-in wireless accelerometer within the comfort level of their homes or offices.3 iTrem directly tracks tremor information as the patient simply holds the phone in their hand for an extended period at predetermined intervals over the course of days or weeks while also offering social interaction regarding PD with other people. A British mathematician developed a mobile-based application that applies mathematical and logistical algorithms to help diagnose PD from voice recordings.7 Development of another mobile phone application by a British scientist has permitted PD patients to measure their speech tones so as to ensure proper adjustments in their hearing and to be easily monitored by physicians in remote connections using this technology.8 Despite no empirical evidence to suggest the exact risk factors for Parkinson, such groundbreaking research for a better self-care management and self-diagnosis using technology might help search for early signs of PD. Trials with large amounts of grants are underway to test the use of mobile health in PD to help open the door for better future self-care management of Parkinson.