Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37231496›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2023

System identification: a feasible, reliable and valid way to quantify upper limb motor impairments.

Mark van de Ruit, Levinia L van der Velden, Bram Onneweer, Joyce L Benner, Claudia J W Haarman, Gerard M Ribbers, Ruud W Selles

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Mark van de RuitDepartment of Biomechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628CD, Delft, The Netherlands. m.l.vanderuit-1@tudelft.nl.
Levinia L van der VeldenDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Bram OnneweerDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Joyce L BennerDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Claudia J W HaarmanDepartment of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
Gerard M RibbersDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Ruud W SellesDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUpper limb impairments in a hemiparetic arm are clinically quantified by well-established clinical scales, known to suffer poor validity, reliability, and sensitivity. Alternatively, robotics can assess motor impairments by characterizing joint dynamics through system identification. In this study, we establish the merits of quantifying abnormal synergy, spasticity, and changes in joint viscoelasticity using system identification, evaluating (1) feasibility and quality of parametric estimates, (2) test-retest reliability, (3) differences between healthy controls and patients with upper limb impairments, and (4) construct validity.

methodsForty-five healthy controls, twenty-nine stroke patients, and twenty cerebral palsy patients participated. Participants were seated with the affected arm immobilized in the Shoulder-Elbow-Perturbator (SEP). The SEP is a one-degree-of-freedom perturbator that enables applying torque perturbations to the elbow while providing varying amounts of weight support to the human arm. Participants performed either a 'do not intervene' or a resist task. Elbow joint admittance was quantified and used to extract elbow viscosity and stiffness. Fifty-four of the participants performed two sessions to establish the test-retest reliability of the parameters. Construct validity was assessed by correlating system identification parameters to parameters extracted using a SEP protocol that objectifies current clinical scales (Re-Arm protocol).

resultsFeasibility was confirmed by all participants successfully completing the study protocol within ~ 25 min without reporting pain or burden. The parametric estimates were good with a variance-accounted-for of ~ 80%. A fair to excellent test-retest reliability was found ([Formula: see text]) for patients, except for elbow stiffness with full weight support ([Formula: see text]). Compared to healthy controls, patients had a higher elbow viscosity and stiffness during the 'do not intervene' task and lower viscosity and stiffness during the resist task. Construct validity was confirmed by a significant (all [Formula: see text]) but weak to moderate ([Formula: see text]) correlation with parameters from the Re-Arm protocol.

conclusionsThis work demonstrates that system identification is feasible and reliable for quantifying upper limb motor impairments. Validity was confirmed by differences between patients and controls and correlations with other measurements, but further work is required to optimize the experimental protocol and establish clinical value.

Indexed as

Motor DisordersStrokeElbowHumansReproducibility of ResultsUpper ExtremityBiomechanicsDiagnosticsMotor impairmentsUpper limbViscoelasticity

Identifiers

PMID37231496
PMCPMC10210505

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.