Validity and Reliability of the Six-Minute Pegboard Ring Test in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease

Overview

Parkinson's patients who volunteer to participate in the study will be included. Parkinson's patients participating in the study will be referred from the SANKO University Hospital Neurology Outpatient Clinic. The assessments of patients referred from the Neurology Outpatient Clinic will be conducted at the SANKO University Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department Research Laboratory. The socio-demographic information of the included patients will be collected. Patients will then be grouped using the Hoehn-Yahr Staging Scale. Vital signs such as blood pressure, saturation, and pulse will be measured. Upper extremity muscle strength will be assessed using a dynamometer. Upper extremity performance will be assessed using the Nine-Hole Peg Test. The patient's fatigue will be assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale, and upper extremity disability will be assessed using the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. The assessments will be conducted by Physiotherapist Rüveyda GÜRDAL.Except for the six-minute pegboard ring test, the other tests will evaluate the parameters required for an individual's upper extremity function. These parameters are balance, muscle strength, and fine motor skills. The six-minute pegboard ring test will be reassessed one week later by a different physiotherapist at the SANKO University Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Research Laboratory.

Parkinson's disease (PD) primarily arises from the progressive degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway and neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, which aggregate in the form of Lewy bodies or Lewy neurites. PD is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, with a prevalence of 0.3% in the general population and 1-3% in the population over 65 years of age. As the disease progresses, the decrease in dopamine levels leads to resting tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, impaired reflexes, depression, anxiety, emotional changes, cognitive impairment, difficulty swallowing, chewing and speaking, blank facial expressions, urinary problems, constipation, fatigue and sleep problems. Although the course and rate of progression of Parkinson's disease, which has an insidious onset, vary from patient to patient, the symptoms progress over the years in an extremely slow but gradually increasing manner. The asymmetric onset of the disease is very typical, and motor symptoms usually begin with resting tremor. Asymmetry in symptoms is maintained throughout the course of the disease, and bradykinesia develops to varying degrees in each patient. While there is a decrease in movement speed and amplitude (bradykinesia) in the early stages of the disease, it can progress over time and turn into akinesia. Initially, only the distal muscles are affected (micrographia, limited finger movements), but over time, all muscle groups become involved, and patients may eventually become unable to perform activities of daily living. We believe that the six-minute pegboard ring test may be valid and reliable in these individuals. If found to be valid and reliable, its use is recommended for the assessment of individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Assessments of patients referred from the SANKO University Hospital Neurology Outpatient Clinic will be conducted at the SANKO University Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department Research Laboratory. The socio-demographic information of the included patients will be collected. Subsequently, patients will be grouped using the Hoehn-Yahr Staging Scale. Vital signs such as blood pressure, saturation, and pulse will be checked. Upper extremity muscle strength will be assessed using a dynamometer. Upper extremity performance will be assessed using the Nine-Hole Peg Test. The patient's fatigue will be assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale, and upper extremity disability will be assessed using the Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (DASH). The assessments will be conducted by Fzt. Rüveyda GÜRDAL. Except for the six-minute pegboard ring test, the other tests will evaluate the parameters required for an individual's upper extremity function. These parameters are balance, muscle strength, and fine motor skills. The six-minute pegboard ring test will be reassessed one week later by a different physiotherapist at the SANKO University Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Research Laboratory.