title: Using the robotic device REAplan as a valid, reliable, and sensitive tool to quantify upper limb impairments in stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate a protocol assessing upper limb kinematics using a planar robot among stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Age-matched healthy subjects (n = 25) and stroke patients (n = 25).
  
  
  METHODS
  Various kinematic indices (n = 44) were obtained from 4 tasks performed by subjects with REAplan, a planar end-effector robotic device. The metrological properties of this protocol were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In stroke patients, 43 kinematic indices showed moderate to excellent reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) range 0.40-0.95; and minimal detectable changes range 9.9-121.1%). In healthy subjects, 25 kinematic indices showed moderate to excellent reliability (ICC range 0.40-0.91) and 3 indices showed a laterality effect (p < 0.05). Many of these indices (27 of 44) were altered in stroke patients in comparison with healthy subjects (p < 0.05). The Box and Block test (manual dexterity) and Upper Limb Sub-score of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (motor control) showed moderate to good correlations with, respectively, 13 and 4 indices (r > 0.40). Finally, a principal component analysis allowed the elaboration of a short version of the protocol, reducing the number of indices to 5 (i.e. Amplitude, CVstraightness, Speed Metric, CVjerk metric and CVspeed metric).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides a standardized, valid, reliable and sensitive protocol to quantify upper limb impairments in stroke patients, using a planar robot.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, BE-1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gilliaux
authors.forename: Thierry M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lejeune
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Detrembleur
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sapin
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dehez
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Selves
authors.forename: Gaëtan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stoquart
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012371:Robotics; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D034941:Upper Extremity