The effects of levodopa in the spatiotemporal gait parameters are mediated by self‐selected gait speed in Parkinson's disease

In individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), the medication induces different and inconsistent results in the spatiotemporal parameters of gait, making it difficult to understand its effects on gait. As spatiotemporal gait parameters have been reported to be affected by gait speed, it is essential to consider the gait speed when studying walking biomechanics to interpret the results better when comparing the gait pattern of different conditions. Since the medication alters the self‐selected gait speed of individuals with PD, this study analysed whether the change in gait speed can explain the selective effects of l‐DOPA on the spatiotemporal parameters of gait in individuals with PD. We analysed the spatiotemporal gait parameters at the self‐selected speed of 22 individuals with PD under ON and OFF states of l‐DOPA medication. Bayesian mediation analysis evaluated which gait variables were affected by the medication state and checked if those effects were mediated by speed changes induced by medication. The gait speed was significantly higher among ON compared with OFF medication. All the spatiotemporal parameters of the gait were mediated by speed, with proportions of mediation close to 1 (effect entirely explained by speed changes). Our results show that a change in gait speed better explains the changes in the spatiotemporal gait parameters than the ON–OFF phenomenon. As an implication for rehabilitation, our results suggest that it is possible to assess the effect of l‐DOPA on improving motor symptoms related to gait disorders by measuring gait speed. The mediation analysis used in this study showed that in patients with Parkinson's disease that l‐DOPA increases gait speed, and it is the first to show that a change in gait speed better explains the changes in the spatiotemporal parameters of gait than the ON–OFF phenomenon.