The following is a summary of “Mobile digital gait analysis captures effects of botulinum toxin in hereditary spastic paraplegia,” published in the June 2024 issue of Neurology by Ibrahim et al.

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs), a group of inherited diseases causing leg weakness and stiffness, are a target for botulinum toxin therapy, already used for stroke and cerebral palsy spasticity.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study investigating the past effects of botulinum toxin on patients with HSP and assessed the usefulness of mobile gait analysis for monitoring and predicting treatment response.

They involved ambulatory patients with HSP receiving individualized botulinum toxin treatment. Assessing treatment response involved comparing data at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months, using clinical parameters, goal attainment scaling, and mobile digital gait analysis (MDGA). Machine learning algorithms were applied to predict goal achievement based on initial parameters.

The results showed 56 patients, despite varying treatment goals and targeted muscles, botulinum toxin resulted in a notable enhancement in particular clinical parameters and gait characteristics, reaching peak improvement at 1-month and declining by 3-month follow-up. Significant correlations were found between gait parameters and clinical scores. Machine learning algorithms achieved a mean balanced accuracy of 66%, identifying key factors to predict treatment response.

Investigators concluded that botulinum toxin injections tailored to individual needs improved outcomes in patients with HSP, and mobile digital gait analysis with machine learning holds promise for monitoring and predicting treatment response.

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ene.16367