Accuracy of Uniaxial Accelerometer in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
By Moy, Marilyn L.; Garshick, Eric; Matthess, Kirby R.; Lew, Robert; Reilly, John J.; Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, Vol. 45, No. 4, pp. 611-617Publication Date: 2008
Study testing the accuracy of an accelerometer measuring step counts in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The device used in the study was the ActiHealth uniaxial accelerometer, a lightweight, unobtrusive model that attaches to the shoe and uses a sensor to capture the physiological waveforms associated with a foot stride. Up to 30 days of data from the device, which operates on a battery that lasts up to 2 years, can be wirelessly transferred via the Internet to a database. To determine the accuracy of the device, 15 nondisabled men and 46 men with COPD performed a single walking study wearing an accelerometer on each foot. Participants walked a level course of 800 feet at their usual speed. Right-foot steps were manually counted by one of the investigators and multiplied by 2. Accuracy was defined as percent step capture, (device step count divided by manual step count) times 100. In nondisabled males, median percent step capture was 96 percent, compared to 86 percent in participants with COPD. The accuracy was found to decline in participants with COPD based on walking speed. The investigators conclude that before use of the ActiHealth accelerometer, researchers and clinicians should verify walking speed and percent step capture in each patient. Implications for further research are discussed
Published by:
VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service (Web Site: http://www.rehab.research.va.gov )
Link to text: http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/08/45/4/moy.html
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J55047
