Article

This randomized, controlled, multisite Department of Veterans Affairs clinical
trial assessed robot-assisted (RA) upper-limb therapy with the Mirror Image
Movement Enabler (MIME) in the acute stroke rehabilitation setting. Hemiparetic
subjects (n = 54) received RA therapy using MIME for either up to 15 hours
(low-dose) or 30 hours (high-dose) or received up to 15 hours of additional
conventional therapy in addition to usual care (control). The primary outcome
measure was the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). The secondary outcome measures were
the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Wolf Motor Function Test, Motor Power,
and Ashworth scores at intake, discharge, and 6-month follow-up. Mean duration of
study treatment was 8.6, 15.8, and 9.4 hours for the low-dose, high-dose, and
control groups, respectively. Gains in the primary outcome measure were not
significantly different between groups at follow-up. Significant correlations
were found at discharge between FMA gains and the dose and intensity of RA.
Intensity also correlated with FMA gain at 6 months. The high-dose group had
greater FIM gains than controls at discharge and greater tone but no difference
in FIM changes compared with low-dose subjects at 6 months. As used during acute
rehabilitation, motor-control changes at follow-up were no less with MIME than
with additional conventional therapy. Intensity of training with MIME was
positively correlated with motor-control gains.

Langue : ANGLAIS