Measuring Ambulation, Motor, and Behavioral Outcomes with Post-stroke Fluoxetine in Tanzania: The Phase II MAMBO Trial.

We test the safety of fluoxetine post-ischemic stroke in sub-Saharan Africa. Adults with acute ischemic stroke, seen <14 days since new-onset motor deficits, were enrolled from November 2019 to October 2020 in a single-arm, open-label phase II trial of daily fluoxetine 20 mg for 90 days at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The primary outcome was safety with secondary outcomes of medication adherence and tolerability. Thirty-four patients were enrolled (11 were female; mean age 52.2 years, 65% < 60 years old; mean 3.3 days since symptom onset). Participants had hypertension (74%), diabetes (18%), and smoked cigarettes (18%). The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at enrollment was 10.5. The median Fugl-Meyer Motor Scale score was 28.5 (upper extremity 8, lower extremity 17.5). 32/34 participants (91%) survived to 90 days. There were eight serious and two nonserious adverse events. Deaths occurred due to gastrointestinal illness with low serum sodium (nadir 120 mmol/L) with seizure and gastrointestinal bleed from gastric cancer. The average sodium level at 90 days was 139 mmol/L (range 133-146) and alanine transaminase was 28 U/L (range 10-134). Fluoxetine adherence was 96%. The median modified Rankin Scale score among survivors at 90 days was 2 and Fugl-Meyer Motor Scale score was 66 (upper extremity 40, lower extremity 27). Median 90-day Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Montgomery-Åsberg scores were 3.5 and 4 (minimal depression). Fluoxetine administration for 90 days poststroke in sub-Saharan Africa was generally safe and well-tolerated, but comorbid illness presentations were fatal in 2/34 cases, even after careful participant selection.

Recommendations for Reporting on Rehabilitation Interventions.

ABSTRACT: Clear reporting on rehabilitation treatments is critical for interpreting and replicating study results and for translating treatment research into clinical practice. This article reports the recommendations of a working group on improved reporting on rehabilitation treatments. These recommendations are intended to be combined with the efforts of other working groups, through a consensus process, to arrive at a reporting guideline for randomized controlled trials in physical medicine and rehabilitation (Randomized Controlled Trials Rehabilitation Checklist). The work group conducted a scoping review of 156 diverse guidelines for randomized controlled trial reporting, to identify themes that might be usefully applied to the field of rehabilitation. Themes were developed by identifying content that might improve or enhance existing items from the Template for Intervention Description and Replication. Guidelines addressing broad research domains tended to define reporting items generally, from the investigator's perspective of relevance, whereas those addressing more circumscribed domains provided more specific and operationalized items. Rehabilitation is a diverse field, but a clear description of the treatment's separable components, along with distinct treatment theories for each, can improve reporting of relevant information. Over time, expert consensus groups should develop more specific guideline extensions for circumscribed research domains, around coalescing bodies of treatment theory.

Can kinematic parameters of 3D reach-to-target movements be used as a proxy for clinical outcome measures in chronic stroke rehabilitation? An exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: Despite numerous trials investigating robot-assisted therapy (RT) effects on upper-extremity (UE) function after stroke, few have explored the relationship between three-dimensional (3D) reach-to-target kinematics and clinical outcomes. The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the correlation between kinematic parameters of 3D reach-to-target movements and UE clinical outcome measures, and 2) examine the degree to which differences in kinematic parameters across individuals can account for differences in clinical outcomes in response to RT. METHODS: Ten chronic stroke survivors participated in a pilot RT intervention (eighteen 1-h sessions) integrating cognitive skills training and a home-action program. Clinical outcome measures and kinematic parameters of 3D reach-to-target movements were collected pre- and post-intervention. The correlation between clinical outcomes and kinematic parameters was investigated both cross-sectionally and longitudinally (i.e., changes in response to the intervention). Changes in clinical outcomes and kinematic parameters were tested for significance in both group and subject-by-subject analyses. Potential associations between individual differences in kinematic parameters and differences in clinical outcomes were examined. RESULTS: Moderate-to-strong correlation was found between clinical measures and specific kinematic parameters when examined cross-sectionally. Weaker correlation coefficients were found longitudinally. Group analyses revealed significant changes in clinical outcome measures in response to the intervention; no significant group changes were observed in kinematic parameters. Subject-by-subject analyses revealed changes with moderate-to-large effect size in the kinematics of 3D reach-to-target movements pre- vs. post-intervention. Changes in clinical outcomes and kinematic parameters varied widely across participants. CONCLUSIONS: Large variability was observed across subjects in response to the intervention. The correlation between changes in kinematic parameters and clinical outcomes in response to the intervention was variable and not strong across parameters, suggesting no consistent change in UE motor strategies across participants. These results highlight the need to investigate the response to interventions at the individual level. This would enable the identification of clusters of individuals with common patterns of change in response to an intervention, providing an opportunity to use cluster-specific kinematic parameters as a proxy of clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02747433 . Registered on April 21st, 2016.

A Paradigm Shift: Rehabilitation Robotics, Cognitive Skills Training, and Function After Stroke.

Introduction: Robot-assisted therapy for upper extremity (UE) impairments post-stroke has yielded modest gains in motor capacity and little evidence of improved UE performance during activities of daily living. A paradigm shift that embodies principles of motor learning and exercise dependent neuroplasticity may improve robot therapy outcomes by incorporating active problem solving, salience of trained tasks, and strategies to facilitate the transfer of acquired motor skills to use of the paretic arm and hand during everyday activities. Objective: To pilot and test the feasibility of a novel therapy protocol, the Active Learning Program for Stroke (ALPS), designed to complement repetitive, robot-assisted therapy for the paretic UE. Key ALPS ingredients included training in the use of cognitive strategies (e.g., STOP, THINK, DO, CHECK) and a goal-directed home action plan (HAP) to facilitate UE self-management and skill transfer. Methods: Ten participants with moderate impairments in UE function >6 months after stroke received eighteen 1-h treatment sessions 2-3/x week over 6-8 weeks. In addition to ALPS training, individuals were randomly assigned to either robot-assisted therapy (RT) or robot therapy and task-oriented training (RT-TOT) to trial whether the inclusion of TOT reinforced participants' understanding and implementation of ALPS strategies. Results: Statistically significant group differences were found for the upper limb subtest of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA-UE) at discharge and one-month follow-up favoring the RT group. Analyses to examine overall effects of the ALPS protocol in addition to RT and RT-TOT showed significant and moderate to large effects on the FMA-UE, Motor Activity Log, Wolf Motor Function Test, and hand portion of the Stroke Impact Scale. Conclusion: The ALPS protocol was the first to extend cognitive strategy training to robot-assisted therapy. The intervention in this development of concept pilot trial was feasible and well-tolerated, with good potential to optimize paretic UE performance following robot-assisted therapy.

Occupational Therapy Can Benefit From an Interprofessional Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System.

To advance evidence-based practice across rehabilitation professions, clinicians, and researchers could benefit from a structured way to clearly describe the treatment interventions used by their discipline. Development of the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System is an interprofessional effort to use a theory-driven and systematic approach to define, specify, and quantify the complex nature of rehabilitation treatments. In this article, we introduce this novel approach and provide a case example that illustrates application to clinical practice. We invite occupational therapy practitioners to consider how clear specification of the content and process of their interventions could benefit practice, research, and education.

A Pilot Study: examining the effects and tolerability of structured dance intervention for individuals with multiple sclerosis.

PURPOSE: The aims of this pilot were to examine dance as a feasible intervention for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), specifically to examine issues of tolerability and its longitudinal effects on participants. Dance is an enjoyable physical activity that has been investigated in other neurodegenerative populations but has yet to be studied in MS. METHOD: A 4-week, two 60-min classes per week, pilot salsa dance intervention was administered to eight individuals with MS. The outcomes measured were effects on gait, balance, self-efficacy, motivation, physical activity and MS symptoms. They were administered at baseline, immediately post-intervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Statistically significant pre-post intervention gains were found for the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale and Godin Leisure Time Questionnaire. Significant improvements were also found for the TUG, DGI and MS Walking Scale between baseline and 3-month follow-up assessments. Participants did not report any problems with fatigue or intolerability with the 60-min suggestions, further supporting the feasibility for the concept of a dance intervention. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that dance for persons with MS may have promise for improving physical activity, gait and balance. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Although structured dance has reported benefits in elderly populations and in individuals with cardiovascular and neurological impairments, there is virtually nothing known regarding dance in the MS population. This pilot salsa dance study shows that structured dance demonstrates promise of being well-tolerated, safe and effective at promoting physical activity in people with MS without increased fatigue. A 12-week study has been initiated to test the robustness of initial observations and further examine factors influencing participants' physical activity adherence and behavioral change.

What do clinicians need from a rehabilitation treatment taxonomy? An alternate approach for describing treatment content versus process.

Clinician feedback and thought processes about treatment classification and description will aid development of the rehabilitation treatment taxonomy (RTT) presented in this supplement. Here, we discuss comparisons between the proposed RTT and an inductive practice-based evidence (PBE) model used to describe rehabilitation treatments. Interviews with clinicians well versed with PBE highlight the complexity of rehabilitation treatments, and bring to light potential advantages and challenges of a deductive, theory-driven classification to uncover the black box of rehabilitation.

New horizons for robot-assisted therapy in pediatrics.

The field of rehabilitation robotics has grown substantially during the past 15 yrs. Studies of upper limb robot-assisted therapy for adults with moderate to severe hemiparesis after stroke have shown significant gains compared with usual care in isolated control, coordination, and strength in the paretic arm (J Rehabil Res Dev 2006;43:171-84; Top Stroke Rehabil 2007;14:22-44; Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2008;22:111-21). While attempts to increase the understanding of the key active ingredients of these interventions continue, researchers have recently extended their focus to children with neurologically based movement disorders arising from cerebral palsy and acquired brain injury or stroke. This study's aim was to provide a narrative review that highlights recent pediatric studies of robot-assisted therapies for the upper and lower limbs. Potential benefits will be discussed, as well as challenges and needs for future development.

Motor learning characterizes habilitation of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND: This study tested in children with cerebral palsy (CP) whether motor habilitation resembles motor learning. METHODS: Twelve children with hemiplegic CP ages 5 to 12 years with moderate to severe motor impairments underwent a 16-session robot-mediated planar therapy program to improve upper limb reach, with a focus on shoulder and elbow movements. Participants were trained to execute point-to-point movements (with robot assistance) with the affected arm and were evaluated (without robot assistance) in trained (point-to-point) and untrained (circle-drawing) conditions. Outcomes were measured at baseline, midpoint, immediately after the program, and 1 month postcompletion. Outcome measures were the Fugl-Meyer (FM), Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST), and Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) scores; parent questionnaire; and robot-based kinematic metrics. To assess whether learning best characterizes motor habilitation in CP, the authors quantified (a) improvement on trained tasks at completion of training (acquisition) and 1 month following completion (retention) and (b) quantified generalization of improvement to untrained tasks. RESULTS: After robotic intervention, the authors found significant gains in the FM, QUEST, and parent questionnaire. Robot-based evaluations demonstrated significant improvement in trained movements and that improvement was sustained at follow-up. Furthermore, children improved their performance in untrained movements indicating generalization. CONCLUSIONS: Motor habilitation in CP exhibits some traits of motor learning. Optimal treatment may not require an extensive repertoire of tasks but rather a select set to promote generalization.

Interventions for sensory impairment in the upper limb after stroke.

BACKGROUND: Sensory impairments significantly limit the ability to use the upper limb after stroke. However, little is known about the effects of interventions used to address such impairments. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of interventions that target upper limb sensory impairment after stroke. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched 8 October 2009), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2009, Issue 1), MEDLINE (1966 to January 2009), EMBASE (1980 to January 2009), and six further electronic databases to January 2009. We also handsearched relevant journals, contacted authors in the field, searched doctoral dissertation databases, checked reference lists, and completed citation tracking. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials and controlled trials comparing interventions for sensory impairment after stroke with no treatment, conventional treatment, attention placebo or with other interventions for sensory impairment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors selected studies, assessed quality and extracted data. We analyzed study data using mean differences and odds ratios as appropriate. The primary outcome we considered was sensory function and secondary outcomes examined included upper limb function, activities of daily living, impact of stroke and quality of life as well as adverse events. MAIN RESULTS: We included 13 studies, with a total 467 participants, testing a range of different interventions. Outcome measures included 36 measures of sensory impairment and 13 measures of upper limb function. All but two studies had unclear or high risk of bias. While there is insufficient evidence to reach conclusions about the effects of interventions included in this review, three studies provided preliminary evidence for the effects of some specific interventions, including mirror therapy for improving detection of light touch, pressure and temperature pain; a thermal stimulation intervention for improving rate of recovery of sensation; and intermittent pneumatic compression intervention for improving tactile and kinesthetic sensation. We could not perform meta-analysis due to a high degree of clinical heterogeneity in both interventions and outcomes. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Multiple interventions for upper limb sensory impairment after stroke are described but there is insufficient evidence to support or refute their effectiveness in improving sensory impairment, upper limb function, or participants' functional status and participation. There is a need for more well-designed, better reported studies of sensory rehabilitation.

Submovement changes characterize generalization of motor recovery after stroke.

Submovements are hypothesized to be discrete building blocks of human movement. Changes in their parameters appear to account for features observed in processes of motor learning and motor recovery from stroke. Our previous studies analyzed submovement changes in subjects recovering from stroke. Subjects were trained on point-to-point movements with the assistance of a rehabilitation robot as part of a stroke treatment protocol. Results suggested that recovery starts first by regaining the ability to generate submovements and then, over a longer time period, by reacquiring the means to combine submovements. Over recovery submovements became fewer, longer, and faster and such changes contributed to changes in movement smoothness. Taken together these results lent support to the theory that movement is produced via centrally generated submovements and that changes in submovements characterize recovery. More recently, we investigated generalization of training. We found that stroke subjects trained on point-to-point movements became progressively better able to draw circles, a task on which they had received no training. The goal of this paper was to further investigate the changes that occur in untrained movements during motor recovery from stroke. Specifically we wanted to test whether changes in smoothness and submovements also characterize untrained movements. We analyzed circle drawing movements performed by 47 chronic stroke subjects who underwent training on point-to-point movements over an 18-session robot-assisted therapy program. We found that during recovery the shapes drawn by subjects became not only closer to circles (a task not trained during therapy) but also smoother. Concurrently, submovements grew fewer, longer, and faster. These results are consistent with the theory that movement is produced via submovements and suggest that changes in smoothness and submovements might characterize and describe the process of motor recovery from stroke. Also, they are consistent with the idea that motor recovery after a stroke shares similar traits with motor learning.

Upper limb robotic therapy for children with hemiplegia.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to examine the feasibility and effects of robotic therapy for children with cerebral palsy and upper limb hemiplegia. DESIGN: A single group within-subjects design was used. Twelve children aged 5-12 yrs with moderate to severe motor impairments participated in 1-hr robotic therapy sessions, 2 times per week for 8 wks. During each session, children used the paretic arm to perform 640 repetitive, goal-directed planar reaching movements, with robotic assistance as needed. Primary outcomes were the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST) and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment upper limb subtest. Secondary outcomes were the Modified Ashworth Scale, peak isometric strength of shoulder and elbow muscles, and parent questionnaire scores. RESULTS: We found significant gains in total QUEST and Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores at discharge and follow-up and in isometric strength of elbow extensors at discharge. The parent questionnaire showed significant improvements in "how much" and "how well" children used the paretic arm during daily functional tasks at home. CONCLUSION: Robotic therapy can provide new opportunities for improving upper limb coordination and function in children with moderate to severe impairments due to cerebral palsy or stroke.

Robotic therapy and botulinum toxin type A: a novel intervention approach for cerebral palsy.

The combined effects of robotic therapy and botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) on upper-limb movement and function were studied in an 8(1/2)-yr-old child with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Robotic therapy comprising repetitive, goal-directed reaching tasks was administered two times per week for 8 wks. Clinical measures included the Modified Ashworth Scale, the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test, and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (upper-limb section). Improvements in upper-limb coordination and quality of motor performance were apparent throughout the robotic therapy trial. The observed gains are comparable with those attained from conventional occupational therapy combined with BTX-A. A parent questionnaire indicated that the amount of paretic arm use also improved during daily activities at home. This preliminary study indicates that robotic therapy may be a useful clinical tool when combined with BTX-A injections for improving upper-limb coordination and quality of motor performance in children with cerebral palsy.

A comparison of functional and impairment-based robotic training in severe to moderate chronic stroke: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcome of training the functional movement of transport of the arm and grasping an object with the alternative of training the transport of the arm in isolation. DESIGN: Pretest-posttest comparison. SETTING: Rehabilitation hospitals, outpatient care. PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of forty-seven persons with persistent hemiparesis from a single, unilateral stroke within the past one to five years. INTERVENTION: Robotic therapy 3 x/week for 6 weeks for the paretic upper limb consisted of either a) sensorimotor, active-assistive impairment-based exercise during repetitive planar reaching tasks, or b) a "free-hand" approach, in which the robot assisted subjects employing the sensorimotor active-assistive exercise to transport the hand to a series of targets, where it stopped to allow the person to interact with actual objects (functional approach 1), or c) transport and manipulation, in which the robot assisted subjects employing active-assistive exercise during repetitive planar reaching tasks while grasping a simulated object and releasing it at the target or followed by grasp and release of a simulated object (functional approach 2). PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Fugl-Meyer Assessment. RESULTS: All three groups improved from pre- to post-treatment with the sensorimotor impairment based approach demonstrating the best outcome of the three approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term, goal-directed robotic therapy can significantly improve motor abilities of the exercised limb segments in persons with chronic stroke, but contrary to expectation, training both the transport of the arm and manipulation of an object (functionally-based approaches) did not confer any advantage over training solely transport of the arm (impairment-based approach).

Motions or muscles? Some behavioral factors underlying robotic assistance of motor recovery.

Robotics and related technologies have begun to realize their promise to improve the delivery of rehabilitation therapy. However, the mechanism by which they enhance recovery remains unclear. Ultimately, recovery depends on biology, yet the details of the recovery process remain largely unknown; a deeper understanding is important to accelerate refinements of robotic therapy or suggest new approaches. Fortunately, robots provide an excellent instrument platform from which to study recovery at the behavioral level. This article reviews some initial insights about the process of upper-limb behavioral recovery that have emerged from our work. Evidence to date suggests that the form of therapy may be more important than its intensity: muscle strengthening offers no advantage over movement training. Passive movement is insufficient; active participation is required. Progressive training based on measures of movement coordination yields substantially improved outcomes. Together these results indicate that movement coordination rather than muscle activation may be the most appropriate focus for robotic therapy.

Short-duration robotic therapy in stroke patients with severe upper-limb motor impairment.

Chronic motor deficits in the upper limb (UL) are a major contributor to disability following stroke. This study investigated the effect of short-duration robot-assisted therapy on motor impairment, as measured by clinical scales and robot-derived performance measures in patients with chronic, severe UL impairments after stroke. As part of a larger study, 15 individuals with chronic, severe UL paresis (Fugl-Meyer < 15) after stroke (minimum 6 mo postonset) performed 18 sessions of robot-assisted UL rehabilitation that consisted of goal-directed planar reaching tasks over a period of 3 weeks. Outcome measures included the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, the Motor Power Assessment, the Wolf Motor Function Test, the Stroke Impact Scale, and five robot-derived measures that reflect motor control (aiming error, mean speed, peak speed, mean:peak speed ratio, and movement duration). Robot-assisted training produced statistically significant improvements from baseline to posttreatment in the Fugl-Meyer and Motor Power Assessment scores and the quality of motion (quantified by a reduction in aiming error and movement duration with an increase in mean speed and mean:peak speed ratio). Our findings indicate that robot-assisted UL rehabilitation can reduce UL impairment and improve motor control in patients with severe UL paresis from chronic stroke.

Robotic technology and stroke rehabilitation: translating research into practice.

Research on the effectiveness of robotic therapy for the paretic upper limb after stroke has shown statistically significant reductions in motor impairment during both acute and chronic phases of recovery. Despite growing empirical support for this technology and a stronger focus on optimizing rehabilitation outcomes and productivity, there continues to be a disconnect between research and clinical practice. We review studies on the use of robot-aided neurorehabilitation for the paretic arm after stroke and discuss ways in which this technology may provide opportunities for intensive training that complement more conventional therapy methods.

Comparison of two techniques of robot-aided upper limb exercise training after stroke.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether incorporating progressive resistive training into robot-aided exercise training provides incremental benefits over active-assisted robot-aided exercise for the upper limb after stroke. DESIGN: A total of 47 individuals at least 1 yr poststroke were enrolled in this 6-wk training protocol. Paretic upper limb motor abilities were evaluated using clinical measures and a robot-based assessment to determine eligibility for robot-aided progressive resistive training at study entry. Subjects capable of participating in resistance training were randomized to receive either active-assisted robot-aided exercises or robot-aided progressive resistance training. Subjects who were incapable of participating in resistance training underwent active-assisted robotic therapy and were again screened for eligibility after 3 wks of robotic therapy. Those subjects capable of participating in resistance training at 3 wks were then randomized to receive either robot-aided resistance training or to continue with robot-aided active-assisted training. RESULTS: One subject withdrew due to unrelated medical issues, and data for the remaining 46 subjects were analyzed. Subjects in all groups showed improvement in measures of motor control (mean increase in Fugl-Meyer of 3.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-4.4) and maximal force (mean increase in maximal force of 3.5 N, P = 0.027) over the course of robot-aided exercise training. No differences in outcome measures were observed between the resistance training groups and the matched active-assisted training groups. Subjects' ability to perform the robotic task at the time of group assignment predicted the magnitude of the gain in motor control. CONCLUSION: The incorporation of robot-aided progressive resistance exercises into a program of robot-aided exercise did not favorably or negatively affect the gains in motor control or strength associated with this training, though interpretation of these results is limited by sample size. Individuals with better motor control at baseline experienced greater increases in motor control with robotic training.

Robotic therapy for chronic motor impairments after stroke: Follow-up results.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of robotic rehabilitation in persons with chronic motor impairments after stroke and to examine whether improvements in motor abilities were sustained 4 months after the end of therapy. DESIGN: Pretest-posttest design. SETTING: Rehabilitation hospital, outpatient care. PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of 42 persons with persistent hemiparesis from a single, unilateral stroke within the past 1 to 5 years. INTERVENTION: Robotic therapy for the paretic upper limb consisted of either sensorimotor active-assistive exercise, or progressive-resistive training during repetitive, planar reaching tasks, 3 times a week for 6 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Modified Ashworth Scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Motor Status Scale (MSS) score, and Medical Research Council motor power score. RESULTS: No significant differences were found among pretreatment clinical evaluations. Statistically significant gains from admission to discharge and from admission to follow-up (P<.05) were found on the FMA, MSS score for shoulder and elbow, and motor power score. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term, goal-directed robotic therapy can significantly improve motor abilities of the exercised limb segments in persons with chronic stroke that are sustained 4 months after discharge. This suggests that motor recovery can be enhanced by repetitive exercise training more than 1 year after stroke.

Does shorter rehabilitation limit potential recovery poststroke?

OBJECTIVE: To examine retrospectively the recovery of patients engaged in robotic research during a 6 to 7-week course of inpatient rehabilitation. Because timing of the Interim evaluation at 3 1/2 weeks was comparable to the present length of inpatient stroke rehabilitation, the authors assessed whether significant gains in motor abilities occurred after the time when most stroke patients today are discharged home. METHODS: Fifty-six inpatients with a single, unilateral stroke were randomly assigned to a robot therapy or robot exposure group. Therapists blinded to group assignment administered the Fugl-Meyer, Motor Status Score, and MRC motor power test. RESULTS: Significant improvements in upper-limb motor abilities occurred throughout a period approximately twice the present length of stay in inpatient rehabilitation. However, in the latter half of this period, patients who received conventional therapy showed little improvement, whereas patients who received robot training plus conventional therapy continued to improve. CONCLUSION: Further opportunities for recovery after stroke are possible by extending intensive therapy beyond present inpatient rehabilitation stays.