Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39365773›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

Exploring unsupervised feature extraction of IMU-based gait data in stroke rehabilitation using a variational autoencoder.

Richard Felius, Michiel Punt, Marieke Geerars, Natasja Wouda, Rins Rutgers, Sjoerd Bruijn, Sina David, Jaap van Dieën

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Identification of Subtypes of Post-Stroke and Neurotypical Gait Behaviors Using Neural Network Analysis of Gait Cycle Kinematics.IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society · 2025
    Article
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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

8 authors.

Richard FeliusResearch Group Lifestyle and Health, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-8904-1471
Michiel PuntResearch Group Lifestyle and Health, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Marieke GeerarsPhysiotherapy Department Neurology, Rehabilitation Center de Parkgraaf, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Natasja WoudaCenter of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-6116-5632
Rins RutgersResearch Group Lifestyle and Health, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Sjoerd BruijnDepartment of Human Movement Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Sina DavidDepartment of Human Movement Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jaap van DieënDepartment of Human Movement Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-7719-5585

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVariational AutoEncoders (VAE) might be utilized to extract relevant information from an IMU-based gait measurement by reducing the sensor data to a low-dimensional representation. The present study explored whether VAEs can reduce IMU-based gait data of people after stroke into a few latent features with minimal reconstruction error. Additionally, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the latent features in comparison to gait speed, by assessing 1) their reliability; 2) the difference in scores between people after stroke and healthy controls; and 3) their responsiveness during rehabilitation.

methodsWe collected test-retest and longitudinal two-minute walk-test data using an IMU from people after stroke in clinical rehabilitation, as well as from a healthy control group. IMU data were segmented into 5-second epochs, which were reduced to 12 latent-feature scores using a VAE. The between-day test-retest reliability of the latent features was assessed using ICC-scores. The differences between the healthy and the stroke group were examined using an independent t-test. Lastly, the responsiveness was determined as the number of individuals who significantly changed during rehabilitation.

resultsIn total, 15,381 epochs from 107 people after stroke and 37 healthy controls were collected. The VAE achieved data reconstruction with minimal errors. Five latent features demonstrated good-to-excellent test-retest reliability. Seven latent features were significantly different between groups. We observed changes during rehabilitation for 21 and 20 individuals in latent-feature scores and gait speed, respectively. However, the direction of the change scores of the latent features was ambiguous. Only eleven individuals exhibited changes in both latent-feature scores and gait speed.

conclusionVAEs can be used to effectively reduce IMU-based gait assessment to a concise set of latent features. Some latent features had a high test-retest reliability and differed significantly between healthy controls and people after stroke. Further research is needed to determine their clinical applicability.

Indexed as

GaitStrokeStroke RehabilitationAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedReproducibility of ResultsWalking SpeedWalk Test

Identifiers

PMID39365773
PMCPMC11452054

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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.