Dong Hongdao, Shin Herbert, Ho Edward, Jin Helen Jingshu, Letourneau Sasha, Banerjee Tania, Masschelein Geoffrey, Davidson Jacob, Wilson Claire, de Ribaupierre Sandrine, Eagleson Roy, Symonette Caitlin Jane
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON.
Faculty of Engineering, Western University, London, ON.
J Hand Surg Glob Online. 2023 Feb 26;5(3):294-299. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsg.2023.01.016. eCollection 2023 May.
We have previously developed DIGITS, a platform for remote evaluation of range of motion, dexterity, and swelling of fingers for reducing barriers to accessing clinical resources. The current study was aimed at evaluating DIGITS across different devices with varied operating systems and camera resolutions using a single person's hands.
Our team has now developed a web application version of the DIGITS platform, which makes it accessible on any device that is equipped with a camera, including computers, tablets, and smartphones. In the present study, we aimed to validate this web application by comparing flexion and extension measurements on the same person's hands using three different devices with cameras of different resolutions. The absolute difference, SD, standard mean error, and intraclass correlation coefficient were calculated. Additionally, equivalency testing was performed using the confidence interval approach.
Our findings indicated that the differences in degree measured between the devices ranged from 2° to 3° when digit extension was assessed (all hand landmarks are visible in the camera's direct view) and from 3° to 8° when digit flexion was assessed (some of the hand landmarks are hidden from view). The intraclass correlation coefficient of individual trials ranged from 0.82 to 0.96 for extension and 0.77 to 0.87 for flexion across all devices. Additionally, within a 90% confidence interval, our data showed equivalency with measurements using three different devices.
The absolute differences were within an acceptable 9° tolerance for measurements taken between devices for flexion and extension. Equivalency was observed for measurements of finger range of motion taken using DIGITS, regardless of devices, platforms, or camera resolutions.
In summary, the DIGITS web application has good test-retest reliability to generate data on finger range of motion for hand telerehabilitation. DIGITS can reduce costs to patients, providers, and health care facilities for conducting postoperative follow-up assessments.
我们之前开发了DIGITS，这是一个用于远程评估手指活动范围、灵活性和肿胀情况的平台，以减少获取临床资源的障碍。当前研究旨在使用同一个人的手，在不同操作系统和摄像头分辨率的不同设备上评估DIGITS。
我们的团队现已开发出DIGITS平台的网络应用程序版本，使其能够在任何配备摄像头的设备上使用，包括计算机、平板电脑和智能手机。在本研究中，我们旨在通过使用三台具有不同分辨率摄像头的不同设备，比较同一个人手上的屈伸测量结果，来验证这个网络应用程序。计算了绝对差值、标准差、标准平均误差和组内相关系数。此外，使用置信区间方法进行了等效性测试。
我们的研究结果表明，在评估手指伸展时（所有手部标志点都在摄像头的直视范围内），不同设备之间测量的角度差异在2°到3°之间；在评估手指弯曲时（一些手部标志点被遮挡），差异在3°到8°之间。所有设备上，个体试验的组内相关系数在伸展时为0.82至0.96，在弯曲时为0.77至0.87。此外，在90%的置信区间内，我们的数据显示与使用三种不同设备进行的测量结果等效。
设备之间进行屈伸测量时的绝对差异在可接受的9°公差范围内。无论设备、平台或摄像头分辨率如何，使用DIGITS测量手指活动范围时均观察到等效性。
总之DIGITS网络应用程序具有良好的重测可靠性，可生成用于手部远程康复的手指活动范围数据。DIGITS可以降低患者、提供者和医疗保健机构进行术后随访评估的成本。
