title: A 6-month follow-up after constraint-induced movement therapy with and without transfer package for patients with hemiparesis after stroke: a pilot quasi-randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the long-term effects of the 'transfer package' in constraint-induced movement therapy, which is an optional protocol to facilitate actual use of the trained affected arm in activities of daily living.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pilot quasi-randomized controlled trial with a blinded single assessor with six-month follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospitalized care at university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one post-stroke patients were quasi-randomized to either a group with transfer package during constraint-induced movement therapy or a control group (without transfer package).
  
  
  METHODS
  The transfer package group received 4.5 hours of intensive task training and 0.5 hours of transfer package whereas the control group received 5.0 hours of intensive task training per day during 10 consecutive weekdays.
  
  
  METHODS
  Arm function was measured with Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Amount of Use score of Motor Activity Log.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three patients were quasi-randomized, but data from two patients were missing from the long-term follow-up. Both groups showed increase in arm function postintervention. However, at six months' follow-up only the transfer package group showed consistent increase in arm function (with transfer package group versus control group; Fugl-Meyer Assessment, mean (± SD) from 48.6 ± 7.8 (preintervention) to 55.7 ± 4.5 (postintervention) and 59.0 ± 3.6 (six months postintervention) versus from 49.1 ± 5.5 to 52.8 ± 6.0 and 53.3 ± 4.9, P= 0.003; Amount of Use scale of Motor Activity Log, mean from 1.3 ± 0.55 (preintervention) to 2.12 ± 0.55 (postintervention) and 2.79 ± 0.98 (six months postintervention) versus from 1.18 ± 0.70 to 1.61 ± 0.54 and 1.65 ± 0.68, P= 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirmed the long-term effects of the transfer package in constraint-induced movement therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan. takshi77@hyo-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takebayashi
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amano
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanada
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabusadani
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosomi
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marumoto
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Domen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001132:Arm / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000379:methods*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation