AutoCITE: automated delivery of CI therapy with reduced effort by therapists.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of a device that automates Constraint-Induced Movement therapy (CI therapy), termed AutoCITE, when only partially supervised by therapists.


METHODS
Twenty-seven participants with chronic stroke trained with AutoCITE for 3 hours per day for 10 consecutive weekdays. Participants were assigned to 1 of 3 groups in a fixed irregular order (ie, in alternating blocks): supervision from a therapist for 100%, 50%, or 25% of training time.


RESULTS
The effect sizes of the treatment gains for the 3 groups on the Motor Activity Log (MAL) were very large and for the Wolf Motor Function Test they were large (all P<0.001) but were not significantly different from one another. Gains were comparable to those previously reported for participants who received an equal amount of standard one-on-one CI therapy without the device. At 1-month and long-term follow-up, gains from pretreatment on the MAL were also significant (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that AutoCITE training with greatly reduced supervision from a therapist is as effective as standard one-on-one CI therapy.
Taub
Edward
E
Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA. etaub@uab.edu
Lum
Peter S
PS
Hardin
Phillip
P
Mark
Victor W
VW
Uswatte
Gitendra
G
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001331:Automation; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000078329:Workforce