TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing movement quality in individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy utilizing accelerometry
T2 - Comparisons with healthy controls
AU - DMDCCC Investigators
AU - Joy, Nicholas
AU - Donnelly, Thomas J.
AU - Soslow, Jonathan
AU - Burnette, William Bryan
AU - Spurney, Christopher
AU - Husain, Nazia
AU - Gambetta, Katheryn
AU - Soriano, Brian D.
AU - Raucci, Frank J.
AU - Hor, Kan
AU - Markham, Larry W.
AU - Crum, Kimberly
AU - Lang, Catherine E.
AU - Miller, Allison E.
AU - Tamaroff, Jaclyn
AU - Dayan, Jonathan
AU - Campbell, M. Jay
AU - Li, Jennifer
AU - Kaufman, Beth
AU - Wittlieb-Weber, Carol
AU - Wang, Teresa
N1 - Copyright: © 2026 Joy et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
PY - 2026/6
Y1 - 2026/6
N2 - Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive decline in skeletal muscle function leading to loss of ambulation and premature cardiopulmonary failure. The ability to monitor declines in skeletal muscle function in a free-living setting would be advantageous. Prior studies have utilized accelerometer measures of movement quantity (e.g., counts per minute, fraction of activity time), but accelerometry research on measures of movement quality in DMD is limited. The aim of the study was to compare quality of movement between a healthy control cohort and individuals with DMD using accelerometry. Accelerometer data were obtained from one study visit for each healthy control (N = 92; ActiGraph Link GT9X, GT3X-BT or a combination) and one to three study visits for each participant with DMD (N = 100; Link GT9X). Measures included counts per minute, entropy, jerk, and movement frequency (mean and standard deviation).using Mann-Whitney U tests. Correlations were assessed between accelerometer measures of movement quantity and quality, and predictive change in DMD ambulatory status was assessed using longitudinal regression. Significant differences (P < 0.01) were observed in all measures between healthy controls, ambulatory DMD, and non-ambulatory DMD participants. Most measures were lower in DMD participants, suggesting decreased movement. Movement frequency values were higher in DMD (Healthy Controls 3.19 [3.05-3.45], Ambulatory DMD 3.60 [3.43-3.89], Non-Ambulatory DMD 4.32 [4.04-4.52]), suggesting more disordered movements. Counts per minute correlated strongly with both jerk (r: 0.722, P < 0.05) and mean frequency (r: -0.813, P < 0.05). Matched to age, individuals with DMD produce progressively fewer and more disordered (lower quality) movement compared to healthy individuals. Significantly lower entropy and jerk may be explained by a progressive decline in the strength of movements produced by individuals with DMD.
AB - Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive decline in skeletal muscle function leading to loss of ambulation and premature cardiopulmonary failure. The ability to monitor declines in skeletal muscle function in a free-living setting would be advantageous. Prior studies have utilized accelerometer measures of movement quantity (e.g., counts per minute, fraction of activity time), but accelerometry research on measures of movement quality in DMD is limited. The aim of the study was to compare quality of movement between a healthy control cohort and individuals with DMD using accelerometry. Accelerometer data were obtained from one study visit for each healthy control (N = 92; ActiGraph Link GT9X, GT3X-BT or a combination) and one to three study visits for each participant with DMD (N = 100; Link GT9X). Measures included counts per minute, entropy, jerk, and movement frequency (mean and standard deviation).using Mann-Whitney U tests. Correlations were assessed between accelerometer measures of movement quantity and quality, and predictive change in DMD ambulatory status was assessed using longitudinal regression. Significant differences (P < 0.01) were observed in all measures between healthy controls, ambulatory DMD, and non-ambulatory DMD participants. Most measures were lower in DMD participants, suggesting decreased movement. Movement frequency values were higher in DMD (Healthy Controls 3.19 [3.05-3.45], Ambulatory DMD 3.60 [3.43-3.89], Non-Ambulatory DMD 4.32 [4.04-4.52]), suggesting more disordered movements. Counts per minute correlated strongly with both jerk (r: 0.722, P < 0.05) and mean frequency (r: -0.813, P < 0.05). Matched to age, individuals with DMD produce progressively fewer and more disordered (lower quality) movement compared to healthy individuals. Significantly lower entropy and jerk may be explained by a progressive decline in the strength of movements produced by individuals with DMD.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105041081518
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pdig.0001315
DO - 10.1371/journal.pdig.0001315
M3 - Article
C2 - 42228697
AN - SCOPUS:105041081518
SN - 2767-3170
VL - 5
SP - e0001315
JO - PLOS Digital Health
JF - PLOS Digital Health
IS - 6
M1 - e0001315
ER -