Effects of robot-assisted therapy on upper limb and cognitive function in patients with stroke: study protocol of a randomized controlled study

Abstract

Background Impairments in upper limb motor function and cognitive ability are major health problems experienced by stroke patients, necessitating the development of novel and effective treatment options in stroke care. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of robot-assisted therapy on improving upper limb and cognitive functions in stroke patients. Methods This will be a single-blinded, 2-arm, parallel design, randomized controlled trial which will include a sample size of 86 acute and subacute stroke patients to be recruited from a single clinical hospital in Shanghai, China. Upon qualifying the study eligibility, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either robot-assisted therapy or conventional therapy with both interventions being conducted over a 6-week period in a clinical rehabilitation setting. In addition to comprehensive rehabilitation, the robot-assisted therapy group will receive a 30-min Armguider robot-assisted therapy intervention 5 days a week. Primary efficacy outcomes will include Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) and Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE). Other secondary outcomes will include Trail Making Test (TMT), Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCFT). All trial outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at 6-week follow-up. Intention-to-treat analyses will be performed to examine changes from baseline in the outcomes. Adverse events will be monitored throughout the trial period. Discussion This will be the first randomized controlled trial aimed at examining the effects of robot-assisted therapy on upper limb and cognitive functions in acute and subacute stroke patients. Findings from the study will contribute to our understanding of using a novel robotic rehabilitation approach to stroke care and rehabilitation. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100050856. Registered on 5 September 2021.

Processing Speed and Attentional Shift/Mental Flexibility in Patients with Stroke: A Comprehensive Review on the Trail Making Test in Stroke Studies

“…The body of research encompassing interventional studies employing the TMT to assess cognitive function in stroke patients presents a compelling narrative of diverse approaches yielding positive outcomes [110][111][112][113][114][115][116][117][118][119][120][121][122]. Collectively, these studies underscore the potential of targeted interventions to enhance cognitive abilities, with the TMT serving as a robust indicator of progress.…”

Biopsychosocial effects and experience of use of robotic and virtual reality devices in neuromotor rehabilitation: A study protocol

“…So far, diverse clinical trials protocols have been recently developed with the purpose of estimating the motor and functional benefits of RAT and VR-based therapy in different clinical populations [76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83]. Nevertheless, it must be noted that for the most, although factors like patient's mental status or technology acceptance were investigated, these were considered as secondary outcomes essentially.…”

Effect of IMB model nursing on patients’ self-perceived burden and cognitive function

“…Common in coronary heart disease, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and other diseases. With the progression of the disease, cardiac structure and function are impaired, ventricular contraction and/or diastolic function decreases, and the body appears hemodynamic abnormalities, which causes a series of clinical syndromes such as dyspnea, fluid retention, and fatigue [1][2]. Nowadays, the aging trend of the world population is increasingly prominent, and the population size of confirmed patients with chronic heart failure is expanding, which has become one of the serious public health problems threatening people's health.…”