Effect of overground gait training with 'Mobility Assisted Robotic System-MARS' on gait parameters in patients with stroke: a pre-post study.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of overground gait training with 'Mobility Assisted Robotic System-MARS' on gait parameters in patients with stroke. PATIENTS & METHODS: This prospective pre-post study was conducted in a tertiary teaching research hospital with 29 adult stroke patients, with age up to 65 years. Patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were divided in 2 groups based on the duration of stroke (≤ 6 months-sub-acute & > 6 months-chronic stroke) and provided overground gait training with MARS robot for 12 sessions (1 h/session) over a period of 2-3 weeks. Primary outcome measures were; 10-Meter walk test-10MWT, 6-min' walk test-6MWT and Timed up & Go-TUG tests. Secondary outcome measures were Functional Ambulation Category-FAC, Modified Rankin Scale-MRS and Scandinavian Stroke Scale-SSS. RESULTS: No adverse events were reported. Twenty-five patients who were able to perform 10-MWT at the beginning of study were included in the final analysis with 12 in sub-acute and 13 in chronic stroke group. All primary and secondary outcome measures showed significant improvement in gait parameters at the end of the training (p < 0.05) barring 10-Meter walk test in sub-acute stroke group (p = 0.255). Chronic stroke group showed significant minimum clinically important difference-MCID difference in endurance (6MWT) at the end of the training and both groups showed better 'minimal detectable change-MDC' in balance (TUG) at the end of the training. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in both the groups showed significant improvement in walking speed, endurance, balance and independence at the end of the training with overground gait training with MARS Robot. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: National Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2021/08/035695,16/08/2021).

Gait Characteristics Following Stroke: A Prospective Crossover Study to Compare Ankle-Foot Orthosis with Functional Electrical Stimulation.

Background: Management of foot-drop following stroke can be addressed with ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) or functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the peroneal nerve. There is limited evidence regarding the efficacy of FES as a substitute for a conventional ankle-foot orthosis. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare efficacy of FES against AFO in management of foot-drop in patients following stroke. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients (ten per group) were enrolled in this prospective crossover trial. Group A patients received gait training with AFO during first week followed by training with FES during second week and vice-versa for group B. Outcome parameters following AFO/FES training included Ten-meter, Six-minute walk test and spatiotemporal gait parameters. Patient satisfaction level was assessed using feedback questionnaire. Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were performed to compare outcomes between barefoot, AFO and FES. The P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Nineteen males and one female aged 45.5 ± 9.45 years were recruited. Statistically significant improvement was observed in Ten-meter and Six-minute walk tests, gait speed, Timed up and go test (TUG), stance-swing ratio and single-limb support among users of FES as compared to AFO and barefoot. There was no statistical difference observed in other gait parameters. Physiological cost index (PCI) showed trend in improvement among FES users. Patient satisfaction scores were higher for FES users. Conclusions: Quantitative and qualitative results were in favour of FES as compared to AFO and barefoot suggesting that FES can be a potential orthotic intervention in hemiplegic patients.

Role of Ultrasonography in Upper Airway Assessment for Decannulating Tracheostomy in Acquired Brain Injury-A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the findings of ultrasonography of the upper airway with flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy and determine the efficacy of transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasonography for decannulation. DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional study. SETTING: Tertiary care referral center in South India. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four patients with acquired brain injury (N=24). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants underwent an airway assessment by ultrasonography followed by assessment of airway by flexible laryngoscopy done within the next 72 hours. RESULTS: Vocal cord assessment by ultrasonography revealed a sensitivity of 81.2% and specificity of 87.5%. A statistically significant association between vocal cord mobility as assessed by ultrasonography and decannulation was observed (sensitivity of 81.25%, specificity of 87.5%, P=.002). Although aspiration was not assessed by ultrasonography, a statistically significant association was observed between vocal cord mobility on ultrasonography and aspiration as assessed by laryngoscopy (sensitivity of 81.25%, specificity of 87.5%, P=.011). CONCLUSION: Laryngeal ultrasonography is an emerging diagnostic modality with a potential role for assessing vocal cord mobility and airway prior to decannulation in centers that lack the expertise and the infrastructure to perform a flexible laryngoscopy.

Impact of inpatient rehabilitation on quality of life among stroke patients.

Objective: Despite remarkable progression in the treatment of stroke, the life quality and social related events caused by stroke have received limited attention in our country. Quality of life (QOL) assessment is an important part of the evaluation of stroke patients and their management. The objective of this study was to assess QOL in patients with stroke at the time of admission in rehabilitation unit and to assess the impact of inpatient rehabilitation on change in QOL in these patients. Materials and Methods: Adult patients with first arterial stroke of any duration, with presentation as hemiplegia, were recruited. The clinical outcome scales and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) parameters for QOL were assessed at both admission and discharge. The scales used were Scandinavian stroke scale (SSS), Barthel Index (BI), and modified Rankin Scale. SF-36 scores were assessed after 6 weeks of discharge also. Results: Ten patients with median age of 36.5 years and median duration of stroke 75 days were recruited. There was significant improvement in functional scores of BI and SSS scales at the time of discharge. Majority of the components of both physical and mental domains of QOL SF-36 questionnaire showed significant improvement. The QOL scores after 6 weeks of discharge did not show significant change except for the emotional well-being. Conclusion: The QOL in patients with stroke improves with inpatient rehabilitation along with motor and functional scores. Improved functional independence leads to better emotional state after discharge also.

Clinical Predictors of Vibrator-Assisted Ejaculation following Spinal Cord Injury: A Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction Infertility in men with spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs due to combination of factors like erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory failure, and semen abnormalities. Penile vibratory stimulation (PVS) is a known method of treatment for anejaculation. Predicting successful outcome of PVS depends on several clinical factors, which assess the intactness of the neural arc pertaining to the spinal ejaculation pattern generator. This study reports the clinical predictors for successful candidacy for a PVS trial in males with SCI. Methods Twenty-three males with SCI, satisfying the inclusion criteria, were recruited in this prospective observational study. Participants underwent two trials of PVS with single high-amplitude vibrator. The clinical predictors recorded were neurological level, superficial abdominal reflex, cremasteric reflex, bulbocavernosus reflex, plantar reflex, ankle jerk, knee jerk, lower abdominal sensation, and hip flexor response. In addition, somatic responses during PVS were recorded and corelated. Participants who had successful ejaculation were "responders" and the others were termed as "nonresponders." Binary logistic regression analysis of the clinical parameters was done to compare responders against nonresponders. Results Of the twenty-three males (mean age 33.2 ± 6.8 years) with paraplegia, all four persons with neurological level above T9 had successful ejaculation with PVS. Among all the clinical parameters in the study, presence of somatic responses showed statistical significance in predicting successful ejaculation ( p -value = 0.02). Conclusion This study reports that in men with SCI, along with the level of injury, somatic responses and other clinical reflexes, should be considered concurrently to predict the outcome of vibrator assisted ejaculation.

Neuropathic Pain in Guillain-Barre Syndrome: Association with Rehabilitation Outcomes and Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: Neuropathic pain contributes significantly to the morbidity and affects the quality of life adversely in Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). OBJECTIVE: To study neuropathic pain profile in GBS and association with rehabilitation outcomes and effect on the quality of life. METHODS: Observational study conducted in rehabilitation setting of a tertiary care hospital among adult GBS patients of less than 3 months duration. Assessment was done at the time of admission and discharge with Pain-detect questionnaire (PD-Q), Neuropathic pain scale (NPS), SF 36 survey, Medical Research Council (MRC) score, INCAT sensory sum score (ISS), Overall Disability sum-score (ODSS), Hughes disability score (HDS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS), and Fatigue Severity scale (FSS). Neuropathic pain was managed as per routine protocol and rehabilitation program was individualized. RESULTS: 32 participants (26 males) with median age of 34.50 years were included. Eighteen (56.25%) patients had neuropathic pain on PD-Q at admission. The median intensity of pain on NPS scale was 47 at admission which decreased significantly to 14 at discharge. Pain group showed significant association with sensory impairment, CSF protein, and emotional domains of QOL while no association with disability. CONCLUSION: Neuropathic pain is associated with sensory impairment in GBS and markedly affects the quality of life, especially emotional, family, and social activities.