Technical Field

The present invention relates to a monitoring device for patients with joint afflictions, traumatic joint diseases and/or cartilage injury disorders, or users who risk joint injury or degeneration through repetitive or high impact use (athletes, runners etc.). The monitoring device comprises one or more sensors to collect data. Said data is subsequently analyzed and based on the results of such analysis, where necessary, therapy (e.g. medication, physiotherapy etc.) dispensed to the patient or advice given.

Background and description of the prior art

The term "arthritis" is generally used to denote a joint disease accompanied by an inflammation of one or more joints but is commonly not used to denote joint damage caused by external injury. A subset of arthritis with low or absent inflammation is called osteoarthritis. Traumatic joint diseases are mechanically induced joint pathologies resulting in joint inflammation and subsequent joint degeneration or pathophysiological changes in joint tissues. Cartilage injuries are specific degenerative pathologies of the cartilage, leading to joint deterioration. Arthritis is a degenerative disease having a major impact on the quality of life and comes in many different forms. One of the most common forms of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is also known as degenerative joint disease and affects more and more people, particularly people over the age of 50. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed an injury or an inflammation of the joint or simply aging or genetic factors may initiate arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory arthritis due to an autoimmune reaction of the body. In gouty arthritis crystals of uric acid are deposited in the joints, thus potentially leading to an inflammation of the joint. It is estimated that arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis, is one of the leading causes of disability in today's population and that the number of cases will significantly increase in the future because of increasing life expectancy. Currently treatment is mostly limited to pain treatment, for example by dispensing common pain medication, such as for example paracetamol, to patients afflicted with arthritis, particularly with osteoarthritis.

However, so as to more efficiently reduce pain, preferably even with a lower and/or better timed dose of pain medication, it is desirable to more closely monitor the condition of the afflicted joint(s).

Also, in view of the potential development of new types of medication against arthritis it is desirable to be able to more closely monitor the patient's activities as well as the condition of the afflicted joint(s) so as allow for improved evaluation of the efficiency of the medication.

There is therefore a need to develop a monitoring device that would allow to, preferably continuously, monitor the condition of the arthritic joint(s) as well as the behavior of the patient, preferably in combination with a means to dispense suitable medication.

Summary of the invention

The present inventors have now surprisingly found that the above objects may be attained either individually or in any combination by the monitoring device and the process of the present application. The present application therefore provides for a monitoring device suitable for being attached onto at least part of one or more joint of a patient or around one or more joint of a patient, said monitoring system comprising one or more sensor selected from the group consisting of temperature sensor, motion sensor, humidity sensor and pressure sensor. The present application therefore also provides for a process for monitoring the condition of a joint of a patient, said process comprising the steps of

(a) providing such monitoring device;

(b) attaching said monitoring device onto at least part of said joint of a patient or around said joint of a patient; and

(c) collecting data from said monitoring device.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention relates to a monitoring device for patients with joint afflictions, traumatic joint diseases and/or cartilage injury disorders, or users who risk joint injury or degeneration through repetitive or high impact use (athletes, runners etc.).

The present monitoring device is attached onto at least a part of one or more joint of a patient or around one or more joint of a patient. It is possible to have a single monitoring device attached to more than one or around more than one joint of a patient, for example in a hand. Furthermore it is possible to have more than one monitoring device, each being attached onto at least a part of one or more joint of a patient or around one or more joints of a patent, for a single patient.

Thus, the present monitoring device is suitable for being attached onto at least a part of one or more joints of a patient or around one or more joints of a patient. Preferably, the monitoring device is attached by one or more attachment means. Such attachment means may, for example, each be independently selected from the group consisting of a patch, a strip, a textile, clothing, a bandage, a ring, a brace or any combination thereof, as well as any other suitable means. An example of a patch is an adhesive patch. An example of a strip is an adhesive strip. A further example of a strip is Velcro strip or a strip of textile or clothing or any other suitable material, which may, for example, be used to attach the present monitoring device by tying. Another example of a strip suitable in the present context is a Velcro strip. The present monitoring device may, for example, also be attached or held in place by use of a textile or clothing. For example, clothing may comprise specific pockets wherein the present monitoring device may be inserted. Preferably, said joint of a patient is a hip or a knee.

In case of a knee, the present monitoring device is preferably attached onto at least a part of a knee or around a knee by using a knee brace or any other suitable means.

The present monitoring device comprises one or more sensors.

The one or more sensor is selected from the group consisting of temperature sensor, motion sensor, humidity sensor and pressure sensor. It is to be understood that the present monitoring device may also comprise more than one sensor of the same type, such as for example more than one temperature sensor. Such sensors are well known to the skilled person and may be obtained from commercial sources.

Preferably, the present monitoring device comprises one or more motion sensors and at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of temperature sensor, humidity sensor and pressure sensor. The temperature sensor(s) may be configured so as to be able to detect the body temperature of the patient or the ambient temperature, i.e. the temperature of the surrounding environment, or both. Alternatively, the present monitoring device may comprise more than one temperature sensor, at least one of which detects the patient's body temperature and at least one of which detects the ambient temperature.

The motion sensor may be selected from the group consisting of strain sensor, stress sensor and accelerometer. For the purposes of the present application the term "motion sensor" may also be understood to include a combination of sensors suitable to detect motion, preferably a combination of motion sensors detecting frequency and extent of movement of the one or more joint of a patient.

Strain and stress sensors measure mechanical strain or stress and thus allow to determine, for example, the degree of bending of a joint, for example of a knee or hip. An accelerometer is a device that measures acceleration. Preferably the motion sensor comprises at least one accelerator and at least one of strain sensor and stress sensor. The so-collected data will give a detailed impression of the level of general stress the joint of a patient is generally subjected to. Preferably, the motion sensor is a capacitive sensor, i.e. a sensor that changes its electrical conductivity in dependence of its shape.

The humidity sensor may be configured so as to be able to detect the humidity on the patient's skin or ambient humidity, i.e. the humidity of the surrounding environment, or both. Alternatively, the present monitoring device may comprise more than one humidity sensor, at least one of which detects the humidity on the patient's skin and at least one of which detects the ambient humidity.

The pressure sensor is configured to detect the pressure exerted thereon. It may, for example, be used to detect swelling of the joint by an increase in the pressure reading of the pressure sensor. Preferably, such pressure sensor is a capacitive sensor as described above.

Preferably, the monitoring device also comprises a pressure sensor on the outside surface of the monitoring device, i.e. on the side that is easily accessible when the monitoring device is in use. Such pressure sensor may be activated actively by the patient whenever he feels pain or whenever the pain exceeds a certain level.

Preferably, the monitoring device may further comprise an array of pressure sensors for establishing a pain map of the joint. Said array of pressure sensors may, for example, cover the entire outside surface or only part of the outside surface of the monitoring device. Whenever the patient feels pain in the joint he or she touches the outside surface of the monitoring device, preferably at the point or area of pain, and thereby activates one or more pressure sensors of the array of pressure sensors, thereby indicating the location of pain. The so-collected data will allow providing a pain map of the joint, thereby allowing for improved diagnosis by a physician.

Preferably, the monitoring device also comprises a device supplying electricity, e.g. for supplying any electricity required for the functioning of the monitoring device. More preferably, the monitoring device comprises a device storing electricity or a device capable of converting light or motion into electricity. The types of devices storing electricity or devices capable of converting light or motion into electricity are not very limited and can be selected depending upon the specific needs and uses for which the monitoring device is intended.

An example of a device storing electricity is a battery. A preferred battery is a printed battery.

An example of a device capable of converting light into electricity is a photovoltaic cell (frequently also referred to as "solar cell"). A preferred photovoltaic cell is an organic photovoltaic cell. For the purposes of the present application, the term "organic photovoltaic cell" is used to denote a photovoltaic cell, wherein at least one layer, preferably the photoactive layer, comprises an organic compound in more than 50 wt%, relative to the total weight of the composition of which said layer consists.

The selection of whether a device storing electricity or a device capable of converting light or motion into electricity depends upon the intended use of the monitoring device. For example, if such monitoring device is to be worn underneath clothing, it may be advantageous to select a device storing electricity or a device capable of converting motion into electricity rather than a device capable of converting light into electricity.

The data collected by the one or more sensor comprised in the monitoring device may - depending upon the intended use of the monitoring device - be stored and processed in the monitoring device in an internal data processing system, be stored in the monitoring device and then processed in an external data processing system, or be directly upon collection transmitted to an external data processing system. Thus, preferably the present monitoring device comprises or is connected to an electronic device capable of performing analysis of the data obtained and/or collected by the one or more sensors comprised in the monitoring device.

In case the data collected by the one or more sensor comprised in the monitoring device is to be stored for a certain time (e.g. 1 minute, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 month or 1 year or any other period of time) and processed in the monitoring device in an internal data processing system, the monitoring device preferably comprises means for storing data and an electronic device capable of performing analysis on the data obtained from said one or more sensor. Optionally, the processed data or the data obtained from the one or more sensor or both may be transmitted to an external data processing system for further storage or processing or both, thus the monitoring system may (i.e. optionally) further comprise a communication means.

In case the data collected by the one or more sensor comprised in the monitoring device is to be stored in the monitoring device and then processed in an external data processing system, the monitoring device preferably comprises means for storing data and communication means for transmitting said data to an external data processing system.

In case the data collected by the one or more sensor comprised in the monitoring device is to be directly upon collection transmitted to an external data processing system, the monitoring device preferably comprises communication means for transmitting said data to the external data processing system.

For the purposes of the present application the term "external data processing system" is used to denote an external, i.e. not directly comprised in the monitoring device or permanently connected to the monitoring device by physical means, system for data storage or data processing system or both.

The means for transmitting data from the monitoring device to an external data processing system are not particularly limited and may suitably be selected by the skilled person from commercially available communication means. Such communication means may, for example, be one or more wires or cables, or wireless transmission, of which wireless transmission is preferred. Preferred communication means for wireless transmission may be selected from the group consisting of blue tooth connector a wireless connector, NFC (near-field communication) connector, hardware connections and cabling, and any combination thereof, and is preferably selected from the group consisting of blue tooth connector a wireless connector, NFC (near-field communication) connector, and any combination thereof. All of these are well known to the skilled person and may be obtained from commercial sources. Preferably, the monitoring device further comprises means for administering medication to the patient or means for triggering an alert for administering the medication. In general terms, the present application also provides a process for monitoring one or more joints of a patient, said process comprising the steps of

(a) providing the monitoring device as defined in the claims;

(b) attaching said monitoring device onto at least part of said joint of a patient or around said joint of a patient; and

(c) collecting data from said monitoring device.

Preferably, in addition to steps (a) to (c), the present process further comprises the steps of

(d) analyzing the data collected in step (c); and

(e) optionally dispense medication to the patient or trigger an alert for taking or administering the medication.

A monitoring system in accordance with the present application allows for close monitoring of the condition of one or more of a patient's joints afflicted with a disease, such as for example osteoarthritis. The present monitoring system takes better account of a patient's overall condition by not only allowing the collection of objective data, such as for example temperature or humidity, but also of subjective data, such as the occurrence and/or level and/or location of pain. A further advantage of the present monitoring system lies in the fact that it can be used over longer periods of time, thereby collecting long-term data. This, in turn, will generally allow for much improved diagnosis of a patient's overall and, in this case, particularly of the joint's condition. Hence, the patient can be supplied with much better information and advice on his condition, for example by dispensing therapy or medication in such a way and/or frequency and/or amount as to be better suited for the individual patient.

In addition, the monitoring system of the present application is also believed to be useful in the development of new medication for joint diseases. By combining close monitoring of the patient's behavior, such as his moving about, with other information obtained from the monitoring system researchers' capabilities of evaluating the efficiency of new medications during evaluations will be greatly improved.