title: Short-term and long-term outcomes of serial robotic training for improving upper limb function in chronic stroke.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine short-term and long-term changes in motor function in patients with chronic hemiparesis who underwent robot training and to evaluate its long-term benefit after 6 months. This was a longitudinal study with a 6-month follow-up. The 15 patients included in this study underwent the Fugl-Meyer test, the Ashworth Scale test, the Frenchay Arm test, and the Box and Block test according to the following schedule: immediately before (T1, T3) and after each treatment (T2, T4), and 6 months after T4 (T5). There were statistically significant improvements in Fugl-Meyer test between T1 and T2 and between T1 and T4; the score increased in the Ashworth Scale test for Shoulder between T1 and T3 and between T1 and T5; a statistically significant decrease was found between T1 and T2 and between T1 and T4, in the Box and Block test between T1 and T4, and also between T1 and T5. This original rehabilitation treatment may contribute toward increasing upper limb motor recovery in stable chronic stroke patients.
authors.affiliation: aIRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome bMedicine Rehabilitation, NOCSAE Hospital AUSL of Modena, Modena cRehabilitation Hospital Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sale
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bovolenta
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agosti
authors.forename: Pierina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clerici
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franceschini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020521:Stroke / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation