Dose–Response Relationship of Robot-Assisted Stroke Motor Rehabilitation

Sstroke.ahajournals.org: 8/14/12.

The increasing availability of robot-assisted therapy (RT), which provides quantifiable, reproducible, interactive, and intensive practice, holds promise for stroke rehabilitation, but data on its dose–response relation are scanty. This study used 2 different intensities of RT to examine the treatment effects of RT and the effect on outcomes of the severity of initial motor deficits.

Methods—Fifty-four patients with stroke were randomized to a 4-week intervention of higher-intensity RT, lower-intensity RT, or control treatment. The primary outcome, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, was administered at baseline, midterm, and posttreatment. Secondary outcomes included the Medical Research Council scale, the Motor Activity Log, and the physical domains of the Stroke Impact Scale. Read more