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Robotic Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb After a Stroke

Rehabilitation Program With Robotic Assistance for the Improvement of Motor Performance and Functional Use of the Upper Limb in Subacute Hemiparetic. Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Terminated
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03584477
Acronym
ROBOASSIST
Enrollment
54
Registered
2018-07-12
Start date
2014-10-30
Completion date
2022-07-11
Last updated
2023-02-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Stroke

Keywords

Stroke, Robot,, Rehabilitation, Hemiparesis, Upper limb, Function, Motor control

Brief summary

Hemiparesis is the most common motor disorder after a stroke. Most patients do not recover functional use of their paretic upper limb. The use of robotic assistance provides intensive motor training through a large number of repetitive movements, usually oriented and interactive tasks (pointing tasks, tracking paths tasks...). These feature have been demonstrated to be critical to stimulate brain plasticity after a brain damage. The InMotion Arm 2.0 manipulator works with an adaptive algorithm that provide patients with real-time Assistance-as-Needed™ desgned to enhance motor performance. Hypothesis: In the sub-acute phase of stroke, the structured practice of a large number of repeated movements will increase motor function of the upper limb compared to conventional rehabilitation. Secondly, this practice will be more effective in a free active mode (without assistance) than an active assisted mode (Assistance-as-Needed™). Expected secondary benefits: Subjective impression of improved use of the upper limb in activities of daily living and reduction of spastic cocontractions affecting the agonist and antagonist muscles during movements of the upper limb. Objectives: This randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effects of structured repetition programs of arm movements, on the function of the hemiparetic upper limb and motor control, between 4 and 10 weeks after the stroke, using a robotic device with or without assistance in partial substitution of conventional rehabilitation care, compared to a program with conventional care alone.

Interventions

DEVICERobot InMotion 2.0

Repetitive work of large numbers of targeted alternative movements with or without assistance. The passage between with and without assistance taking place according to the evolution of performance judged by the investigator therapist. Note that the duration of the training using the assisted mode should be at least 3 weeks, i.e. half of the total duration of treatment.

OTHERConventional rehabilitation

Conventional rehabilitation implemented by an occupational therapist, involving stretching movements in submaximal passive amplitude, inhibition postures (Bobath), active efforts assisted of varied difficulty, exercises of direction of the arm towards a target with or without elbow support and grasping tasks, adapted to the capacities of the paretic upper limb.

Sponsors

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
CollaboratorOTHER
Clinique Les Trois Soleils
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Age ≥18 years; * Stroke hemiparesis on unilateral focal lesion dating from 4 to 10 weeks at baseline; * Active flexion of the paretic shoulder ≥15 °; * Average score on the modified scale of Frenchay \<5; * Patient having agreed to sign an informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

* Passive extension of the paretic elbow \<120 °; * Passive extension of the paretic wrist \<10 °; * Cognitive dysfunction or progressive intercurrent illness making effective communication or participation in the study impossible; * Infection, inflammation or complex regional pain syndrome of the paretic upper extremity; * Injection of botulinum toxin to the upper limb less than 3 months old; * Patient under safeguard of justice; * Patient include in an other clinical trial.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Functional performance score change on Modified Frenchay ScaleBetween the pre-rehabilitation state on the day of program start (Day1) and the state at the end of the program (Week6)The scale measures active upper limb function in hemiparesis based on 10 everyday living tasks, each rated on a 10-point visual analogic scale. Six tasks are bimanual and four are unimanual performed with the paretic hand. Final score is an average of the 10 subscores (10 is the higher score).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Functional performance score change on Modified Frenchay Scalebetween Day1 (day of program start) and Week22 (16 weeks after the end of the program)The scale measures active upper limb function in hemiparesis based on 10 everyday living tasks, each rated on a 10-point visual analogic scale. Six tasks are bimanual and four are unimanual performed with the paretic hand. Final score is an average of the 10 subscores (10 is the higher score).
Change of motor performance score on the Fugl-Meyer scorebetween Day1(day of program start), Week6(end of the program) and Week22 (16 weeks after the end of the program)Fugl-Meyer (FM) assessment for measures of the motor impairment of the upper-limb; the test includes items related to movements of the shoulder, elbow, forearm (proximal arm), and wrist and hand (distal arm). The total scores range between 0 and 66.

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Paresis angle of shoulder flexion, extension and supination of the elbow;at Day1(day of program start), Week6(end of the program) and Week22 (16 weeks after the end of the program)Paresis angle of shoulder flexion (maximal passive amplitude - maximal active amplitude)
Change in perceived function score on the Disability Assessment Scale (DAS)between Day1(day of program start), Week6(end of the program) and Week22 (16 weeks after the end of the program)The scale evaluates upper limb functional disability in patients with spasticity following stroke. Patients are interviewed to determine the extent of functional impairment for the following 4 areas: hygiene,dressing, limb position, pain.The DAS Scale uses a 4-point rating scale according to the following criteria: 0(no disability),1 (mild disability), 2 (moderate disability) and 3(severe disability).
Maximum motor force measured by the robot of the abductor/adductor and flexors/extensors of the shoulderat Day1(day of program start), Week6(end of the program) and Week22 (16 weeks after the end of the program)
Kinematic data of the movements based on the robot's recordsat Day1(day of program start), Week6(end of the program) and Week22 (16 weeks after the end of the program)
Change in perceived function score on the Global Subjective Self Assessment (GSSA)between Day1(day of program start), Week6(end of the program) and Week22 (16 weeks after the end of the program)Three questions were asked to the patient, relating to pain, stiffness-induced discomfort and active function. Each rating was registered by the patient using a visual analogue scale ranging from 0 (worst pain imaginable, worst discomfort imaginable, arm totally useless, respectively) to 10 (no pain, no stiffness-induced discomfort, normal function, respectively).
Angle and grade of spasticity of the shoulder extensors, flexors and elbow pronators, clinically measured by the Tardieu modified scaleat Day1(day of program start), Week6(end of the program) and Week22 (16 weeks after the end of the program)The scale is a clinical measure of muscle spasticity for use with patients with neurological conditions. Spasticity is quantified by assessing the muscle's response to stretch applied at given velocities.

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026