Wearable Sensor-Based Gait Measures as Objective Indicators of Parkinson's Disease Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review of 93 studies examined whether inertial measurement units (IMUs) can accurately quantify Parkinson's disease motor severity by correlating gait parameters with established clinical scales (MDS-UPDRS III, Hoehn and Yahr). Meta-analysis findings confirm that objective gait metrics including reduced velocity, shorter step length, prolonged stance time, and decreased turning speed reliably reflect disease severity and progression stages.