Poststroke shoulder pain in subacute patients and its correlation with upper limb recovery after robotic or conventional treatment: A secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial

Therapeutic robots for post-stroke rehabilitation

Stroke is a prevalent, severe, and disabling health-care issue on a global scale, inevitably leading to motor and cognitive deficits. It has become one of the most significant challenges in China, resulting in substantial social and economic burdens. In addition to the medication and surgical interventions during the acute phase, rehabilitation treatment plays a crucial role in stroke care. Robotic technology takes distinct advantages over traditional physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, and is increasingly gaining popularity in post-stroke rehabilitation. The use of rehabilitation robots not only alleviates the workload of healthcare professionals but also enhances the prognosis for specific stroke patients. This review presents a concise overview of the application of therapeutic robots in post-stroke rehabilitation, with particular emphasis on the recovery of motor and cognitive function.

Implementation of a robot-mediated upper limb rehabilitation protocol for a customized treatment after stroke: A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Many authors have emphasized the need for individualized treatments in rehabilitation, but no tailored robotic rehabilitation protocol for stroke patients has been established yet.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of a robot-mediated upper limb rehabilitation protocol based on clinical assessment for customized treatment of stroke patients.

METHODS

Clinical data from 81 patients with subacute stroke, undergoing an upper limb robot-mediated rehabilitation, were analyzed retrospectively. 49 patients were treated using a customized robotic protocol (experimental group, EG) based on a clinically guided flowchart, while 32 were treated without it (control group, CG). Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Motricity Index (MI), modified Barthel Index (mBI) and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) measured before (T0) and after (T1) rehabilitation intervention were used as clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

There was statistically significant improvement in both groups in terms of FMA-UE, MI, and mBI, while no change in NRS. Intergroup analysis showed significantly greater improvement of the FMA-UE (P = 0.002) and MI (P < 0.001) in the EG, compared with the CG.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of our robotic protocol for customized treatment of stroke patients yielded greater recovery in upper limb motor function and strength over robotic treatment without a defined protocol.

Robotic-Assisted Rehabilitation for Post-Stroke Shoulder Pain: A Systematic Review

Post-stroke shoulder pain (PSSP) is a debilitating consequence of hemiplegia, often hindering rehabilitation efforts and further limiting motor recovery. With the advent of robotic-assisted therapies in neurorehabilitation, there is potential for innovative interventions for PSSP. This study systematically reviewed the current literature to determine the effectiveness of robotic-assisted rehabilitation in addressing PSSP in stroke patients. A comprehensive search of databases was conducted, targeting articles published up to August 2023. Studies were included if they investigated the impact of robotic-assisted rehabilitation on PSSP. The outcome of interest was pain reduction. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane database. Of the 187 initially identified articles, 3 studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 174 patients. The reviewed studies indicated a potential benefit of robotic-assisted rehabilitation in reducing PSSP, with some studies also noting improvements in the range of motion and overall motor function. However, the results varied across studies, with some showing more significant benefits than others, because these use different protocols and robotic equipment.

Overview of the role of robots in upper limb disabilities rehabilitation: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Neuromotor rehabilitation and improvement of upper limb functions are necessary to improve the life quality of patients who have experienced injuries or have pathological outcomes. Modern approaches, such as robotic-assisted rehabilitation can help to improve rehabilitation processes and thus improve upper limb functions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of robots in upper limb disability improvement and rehabilitation.

METHODS

This scoping review was conducted by search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE (January 2012- February 2022). Articles related to upper limb rehabilitation robots were selected. The methodological quality of all the included studies will be appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). We used an 18-field data extraction form to extract data from articles and extracted the information such as study year, country, type of study, purpose, illness or accident leading to disability, level of disability, assistive technologies, number of participants in the study, sex, age, rehabilitated part of the upper limb using a robot, duration and frequency of treatment, methods of performing rehabilitation exercises, type of evaluation, number of participants in the evaluation process, duration of intervention, study outcomes, and study conclusions. The selection of articles and data extraction was made by three authors based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreements were resolved through consultation with the fifth author. Inclusion criteria were articles involving upper limb rehabilitation robots, articles about upper limb disability caused by any illness or injury, and articles published in English. Also, articles involving other than upper limb rehabilitation robots, robots related to rehabilitation of diseases other than upper limb, systematic reviews, reviews, and meta-analyses, books, book chapters, letters to the editor, and conference papers were also excluded. Descriptive statistics methods (frequency and percentage) were used to analyses the data.

RESULTS

We finally included 55 relevant articles. Most of the studies were done in Italy (33.82%). Most robots were used to rehabilitate stroke patients (80%). About 60.52% of the studies used games and virtual reality rehabilitate the upper limb disabilities using robots. Among the 14 types of applied evaluation methods, "evaluation and measurement of upper limb function and dexterity" was the most applied evaluation method. "Improvement in musculoskeletal functions", "no adverse effect on patients", and "Safe and reliable treatment" were the most cited outcomes, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show that robots can improve musculoskeletal functions (musculoskeletal strength, sensation, perception, vibration, muscle coordination, less spasticity, flexibility, and range of motion) and empower people by providing a variety of rehabilitation capabilities.

How Do Motor and Sensory Function Correlate with Daily Performance Recovery after Post-Stroke Robotic Intervention? A Secondary Analysis of a Non-Randomized Controlled Trial

New technologies have been developed to complement conventional interventions to better target the specific needs of people with stroke, and they have been shown to improve both function and performance. However, it is unknown whether the baseline levels of sensorimotor function and performance interrelate with the improvement in upper limb and daily performance. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between baseline levels of sensorimotor function and daily performance and its impact on post-intervention improvement in people with stroke following a robotic intervention. A single-blind, non-randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted. Participants in the experimental group (n = 9) received a robotic intervention in addition to conventional treatment. Sensorimotor function was measured with Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments® and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity Scale. Upper limb and daily performance were measured with the MAL and SIS-16 scales. The multivariate regression models showed that baseline levels of upper limb performance and motor function predicted >95% of the variance in upper limb performance (p < 0.001), while pre-intervention levels of daily performance explained >75% of the post-intervention variance (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that basal upper limb motor function is associated with improved performance following a combined intervention of conventional treatment and robotic intervention.

Combining robot-assisted therapy with virtual reality or using it alone? A systematic review on health-related quality of life in neurological patients

BACKGROUND

In the field of neurorehabilitation, robot-assisted therapy (RAT) and virtual reality (VR) have so far shown promising evidence on multiple motor and functional outcomes. The related effectiveness on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been investigated across neurological populations but still remains unclear. The present study aimed to systematically review the studies investigating the effects of RAT alone and with VR on HRQoL in patients with different neurological diseases.

METHODS

A systematic review of the studies evaluating the impact of RAT alone and combined with VR on HRQoL in patients affected by neurological diseases (i.e., stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's Disease) was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Electronic searches of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, and PsychINFO (2000-2022) were performed. Risk of bias was evaluated through the National Institute of Health Quality Assessment Tool. Descriptive data regarding the study design, participants, intervention, rehabilitation outcomes, robotic device typology, HRQoL measures, non-motor factors concurrently investigated, and main results were extracted and meta-synthetized.

RESULTS

The searches identified 3025 studies, of which 70 met the inclusion criteria. An overall heterogeneous configuration was found regarding the study design adopted, intervention procedures and technological devices implemented, rehabilitation outcomes (i.e., related to both upper and lower limb impairment), HRQoL measures administered, and main evidence. Most of the studies reported significant effects of both RAT and RAT plus VR on patients HRQoL, whether they adopted generic or disease-specific HRQoL measures. Significant post-intervention within-group changes were mainly found across neurological populations, while fewer studies reported significant between-group comparisons, and then, mostly in patients with stroke. Longitudinal investigations were also observed (up to 36 months), but significant longitudinal effects were exclusively found in patients with stroke or multiple sclerosis. Finally, concurrent evaluations on non-motor outcomes beside HRQoL included cognitive (i.e., memory, attention, executive functions) and psychological (i.e., mood, satisfaction with the treatment, device usability, fear of falling, motivation, self-efficacy, coping, and well-being) variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the heterogeneity observed among the studies included, promising evidence was found on the effectiveness of RAT and RAT plus VR on HRQoL. However, further targeted short- and long-term investigations, are strongly recommended for specific HRQoL subcomponents and neurological populations, through the adoption of defined intervention procedures and disease-specific assessment methodology.

ROBOCOP (ROBOtic Care of Poststroke Pain): Study Protocol for a Randomized Trial to Assess Robot-Assisted Functional and Motor Recovery and Impact on Poststroke Pain Development

Background

Stroke is one of the most frequent causes of death and disability worldwide. It is accompanied by the impaired motor function of the upper extremities in over 69% of patients up to hemiplegia in the following 5 years in 56% of cases. This condition often is characterized by chronic poststroke pain, difficult to manage, further worsening quality of life. Poststroke pain occurs within 3–6 months. Robot-assisted neurorehabilitation using the Automatic Recovery Arm Motility Integrated System (ARAMIS) has proven efficacy in motor function recovery exploiting the movements and the strength of the unaffected arm. The rationale of the ROBOCOP (ROBOtic Care of Poststroke pain) randomized trial is the assessment of the impact of robot-assisted functional and motor recovery on the prevention of poststroke pain.

Methods

A total of 118 patients with hemiplegic arms due to stroke will be enrolled and randomly allocated with a 1:1 ratio to ARAMIS or conventional neurorehabilitation group. After a baseline screening at hospital discharge, ARAMIS or conventional rehabilitation will be performed for 8 weeks. The primary endpoint is the prevention of the development of poststroke pain and the secondary endpoints are prevention of spasticity and efficacy in clinical motor rehabilitation. The primary outcome measures consist in the visual analog scale and the doleur neuropatique 4 and the secondary outcome measures include: the Modified Ashworth Scale, the Resistance to Passive movement Scale; the Upper Extremity Subscale of the Fugl–Meyer Motor Assessment; the Action Research Arm Test; the Barthel Index for activities of daily living; and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) recovery-related parameters. After baseline, both primary and secondary outcome measures will be performed in the following time points: 1 month after stroke (t₁, half of the rehabilitation); 2 months after stroke (t₂, after rehabilitation); and 3 months (t₃) and 6 months (t₄) after stroke, critical for poststroke pain development.

Discussion

This is the first clinical trial investigating the efficacy of robot-assisted neurorehabilitation using ARAMIS on poststroke pain prevention. This study could remarkably improve the quality of life of stroke survivors.