Automatic setting optimization for robotic upper-extremity rehabilitation in patients with stroke using ReoGo-J: a cross-sectional clinical trial.

Stroke-induced upper-extremity paralysis affects a substantial portion of the population, necessitating effective rehabilitation strategies. This study aimed to develop an automated program, incorporating the item response theory, for rehabilitation in patients with post-stroke upper-extremity paralysis, focusing on the ReoGo-J device, and to identify suitable robot parameters for robotic rehabilitation. ReoGo-J, a training device for upper-extremity disorders including 71 items, was administered to over 300 patients with varying degrees of post-stroke upper-extremity paralysis.

Comparison of tendon and muscle belly vibratory stimulation in the treatment of post-stroke upper extremity spasticity: a retrospective observational pilot study.

Previous studies have reported the effects of vibratory stimulation (VS) therapy in reducing upper extremity spasticity after stroke. However, the effective location of the VS in patients with stroke remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the VS location that is most effective in reducing post-stroke finger and wrist flexor spasticity.

Therapeutic effect of adjuvant therapy added to constraint-induced movement therapy in patients with subacute to chronic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This review investigated the effectiveness of adjuvant therapy combined with constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) in improving the paretic upper limb functionality in adults with stroke sequelae during the subacute to chronic rehabilitation phase.

Materials And Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT), electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and MEDLINE, were searched. We included RCTs that investigated the outcomes of adjuvant therapy (i.

Attempt to Make the Upper-Limb Item of Objective Fugl-Meyer Assessment Using 9-Axis Motion Sensors.

The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) has been used as a functional assessment of upper-limb function in stroke patients. This study aimed to create a more objective and standardized evaluation based on an FMA of the upper-limb items. A total of 30 first-ever stroke patients (65.

Development of a program to determine optimal settings for robot-assisted rehabilitation of the post-stroke paretic upper extremity: a simulation study.

Robot-assisted therapy can effectively treat upper extremity (UE) paralysis in patients who experience a stroke. Presently, UE, as a training item, is selected according to the severity of the paralysis based on a clinician's experience. The possibility of objectively selecting robot-assisted training items based on the severity of paralysis was simulated using the two-parameter logistic model item response theory (2PLM-IRT).

Psychometric properties of the Action Research Arm Test using decision rules for skipping items in hemiparetic patients after stroke: a retrospective study.

Purpose: Important properties have been studied using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) in patients with stroke. However, whether the ARAT subtests constitute a Guttman scale (i.e.

Factors associated with prognosis of upper limb function in branch atheromatous disease.

Background: Branch atheromatous disease (BAD) is often associated with corticospinal tract injury, and some patients develop early neurological deterioration (END) in the acute phase. This study investigated the progress of upper limb prognosis after BAD in the acute phases and examined the factors related to the prognosis of upper limb function.

Procedures: 108 subjects diagnosed with BAD were included.

Structural validity and internal consistency of a hypothesized factor structure of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the upper extremity.

Background: Many studies have confirmed the psychometric properties of Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the upper extremity (FMA-UE). Although several modified versions of the FMA-UE form exist, their structural validity has not been fully established.

Objectives: To assess the structural validity and internal consistency of the original, short, and hypothesized FMA-UE forms.

Robot-Assisted Training as Self-Training for Upper-Limb Hemiplegia in Chronic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: This study aimed to examine whether robotic self-training improved upper-extremity function versus conventional self-training in mild-to-moderate hemiplegic chronic stroke patients.

Methods: Study design was a multi-center, prospective, randomized, parallel-group study comparing three therapist-guided interventions (1-hour sessions, 3×/wk, 10 weeks). We identified 161 prospective patients with chronic, poststroke, upper-limb hemiplegia treated at participating rehabilitation centers.

Impact of the robotic-assistance level on upper extremity function in stroke patients receiving adjunct robotic rehabilitation: sub-analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Robotic therapy has been demonstrated to be effective in treating upper extremity (UE) paresis in stroke survivors. However, it remains unclear whether the level of assistance provided by robotics in UE training could affect the improvement in UE function in stroke survivors. We aimed to exploratorily investigate the impact of robotic assistance level and modes of adjustment on functional improvement in a stroke-affected UE.

Dimensionality and item-difficulty hierarchy of the Fugl-Meyer assessment of the upper extremity among Japanese patients who have experienced stroke.

Background: The Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) has been used in many clinical studies and in stroke rehabilitation. In studies evaluating psychometric properties, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that the FMA-UE is a multidimensional tool. Item Response Theory One-Parameter Logistic (IRT1PL) supports that item-difficulty hierarchy can be used as a treatment index of upper extremity function for stroke recovery.

Psychometric properties of the TEMPA for the assessment of arm motor activity capacity in hemiparetic Japanese patients after stroke.

Purpose: To investigate the psychometric properties of the Test d'Evaluation des Membres Suprieurs de Personnes Agres (TEMPA) for the affected upper extremity in a population of Japanese patients with stroke.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, single-center study involving 30 patients with stroke was conducted. The inter-rater reliability, the validity, and the internal consistency were assessed.

Effects of mechanical thrombectomy for post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis: Use of Propensity Score Matching.

Background: Mechanical Thrombectomy (MT) is a recommended approach for post-cerebral ischemia in acute settings. Although a large amount of evidence suggests the use of MT, existing evidence has primarily focused on assessing lower limb performance or gait performance as an outcome measure.

Methods: This study was to investigate whether MT would be an effective approach for improving upper limb performance in post-stroke patients.

Impact of initial flexor synergy pattern scores on improving upper extremity function in stroke patients treated with adjunct robotic rehabilitation: A randomized clinical trial.

 Robot-assisted rehabilitation is an appealing strategy for patients after stroke, as it generates repetitive movements in a consistent, precise, and automated manner.  To identify patients who will benefit most from robotic rehabilitation for upper extremity (UE) hemiparesis. We used data from our previous randomized clinical trial comparing 6 weeks of robotic therapy (ReoGeo system) plus standard therapy (n=30) with self-guided therapy plus standard therapy (n=26) for sub-acute phase rehabilitation in adults with mild to moderate UE hemiparesis.

Clinimetric properties of the shortened Fugl-Meyer Assessment for the assessment of arm motor function in hemiparetic patients after stroke.

: The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) is widely used as the gold standard in stroke research. However, the FMA has not been used in general clinical practice, which may be related to the fact that the FMA is a time-consuming measurement. Therefore, the FMA (upper extremity motor section) has already been shortened to a 6-item version using Rasch analysis for routine assessments of patients with low endurance.

Clinimetric properties of the action research arm test for the assessment of arm activity in hemiparetic patients after stroke.

: The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) has been extensively used for patients with stroke in many countries. However, the ARAT has been reported to have ceiling effects. Employing a time evaluation system could be expected to improve the ceiling effects in the ARAT.

Assessment of the Efficacy of ReoGo-J Robotic Training Against Other Rehabilitation Therapies for Upper-Limb Hemiplegia After Stroke: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Stroke patients experience chronic hemiparesis in their upper extremities leaving negative effects on quality of life. Robotic therapy is one method to recover arm function, but its research is still in its infancy. Research questions of this study is to investigate how to maximize the benefit of robotic therapy using ReoGo-J for arm hemiplegia in chronic stroke patients.

Clinimetric properties of the Fugl-Meyer assessment with adapted guidelines for the assessment of arm function in hemiparetic patients after stroke.

Background: Against the background of linguistic and cultural differences, there is a need for translation and adaptation from the English version of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) to Japanese. In addition, there is no study of inter-rater reliability of FMA all domains for affected upper extremities with appropriate sample size based on the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) focusing on non-simultaneous assessment.

Objective: This study aimed (1) to translate the English version of the FMA and its administration/scoring manual; and (2) to investigate the psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the FMA in patients with stroke.

Reliability of remote evaluation for the Fugl-Meyer assessment and the action research arm test in hemiparetic patients after stroke.

Background Blinding for outcome assessors is considered less possible in rehabilitation treatment trials than in pharmacologic trials. This problem can be solved in part by the standardized remote evaluation system, in which researchers video-record patients for centralized assessment using prospectively standardized shooting procedures, and then outside assessors evaluate the videos using prospectively standardized methods. Objective To assess the inter-rater reliability of remote evaluation for the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and the action research arm test (ARAT) in hemiparetic patients after stroke.

Improvement of Upper Extremity Deficit after Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Combined with and without Preconditioning Stimulation Using Dual-hemisphere Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Peripheral Neuromuscular Stimulation in Chronic Stroke Patients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

In this study, we investigated the effects of dual-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation (dual-tDCS) of both the affected (anodal tDCS) and non-affected (cathodal tDCS) primary motor cortex, combined with peripheral neuromuscular electrical stimulation (PNMES), on the effectiveness of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) as a neurorehabilitation intervention in chronic stroke. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of feasibility, with a single blind assessor, with patients recruited from three outpatient clinics. Twenty chronic stroke patients were randomly allocated to the control group, receiving conventional CIMT, or the intervention group receiving dual-tDCS combined with PNMES before CIMT.

Differences in neural pathways are related to the short- or long-term benefits of constraint-induced movement therapy in patients with chronic stroke and hemiparesis: a pilot cohort study.

Background No previous studies have determined how the post-stroke integrity of non-corticospinal neural pathways relates to the efficacy of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). Objectives We aimed to clarify the relationship between several non-corticospinal neural pathway integrities and the short- and long-term benefits of CIMT. Methods This was a pilot cohort study (UMIN registration number: R00027136UMIN000023566), for which we enrolled 13 patients with chronic stroke and hemiparesis who had undergone CIMT.

Immediate effect of subliminal priming with positive reward stimuli on standing balance in healthy individuals: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Information received subconsciously can influence exercise performance; however, it remains unclear whether subliminal or supraliminal reward is more effective in improving standing balance ability when priming stimuli are subconsciously delivered. The present study aimed to compare the effects of subliminal priming-plus-subliminal reward stimuli (experimental) with subliminal priming-plus-supraliminal reward stimuli (control) on standing balance ability.

Methods: This was a single-blind (outcome assessor), parallel-group, randomized controlled trial involving healthy young adults recruited from a university in Japan.