Objective
To investigate the STRoke Interactive Virtual thErapy (STRIVE) intervention on upper-extremity
clinical outcomes in community-dwelling stroke survivors.
Design
Assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial.
Setting
Study screening and testing was conducted in a university clinic. Participants completed
the virtual therapy (VT) intervention in a community-based stroke support group setting.
Participants
Of 124 stroke survivors initially assessed, 60 participants were recruited (time poststroke,
13.4±8.9 y). Participants were allocated to either VT or control group using a block
randomization design and were stratified by sex.
Interventions
Participants were randomized to receive 8 weeks of VT or usual care. The intervention
consisted of approximately 45 minutes of twice weekly VT training on the Jintronix
Rehabilitation System.
Main Outcome Measures
Between-group differences in the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity scale and Action Research
Arm Test score were joint primary outcomes in this study.
Results
Significant between-group differences for the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity scale were
seen at the end of the intervention (F1, 1=5.37, P=.02, d=0.41). No significant differences were observed with the Action Research Arm Test.
No adverse events were reported.
Conclusions
We demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in gross upper extremity motor
function and use of the affected arm after a VT intervention delivered via a community-based
stroke support group setting. This data adds to the contexts in which VT can be used
to improve upper limb function. Use of VT in community-based rehabilitation in chronic
stroke recovery is supported.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
ARAT (Action Research Arm Test), BBT (Box and Block Test), EQ-5D-5L (European Quality of Life-5 Dimension-5 Level), ES (effect size), FMUE (Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity), MAL-28 (Motor Activity Log-28), MAS (Modified Ashworth scale), MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination), QOM (quality of movement), QSUL (Queen Square Upper Limb), UC (usual care), UE (upper extremity), VT (virtual therapy)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 10, 2020
Footnotes
Supported by the Heart Foundation (grant no. 101350). W.-P.T. was supported by an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.
Disclosure: M.M. received personal fees from Silverline Research. The other authors have nothing to disclose.
Clinical Trial Registration No.: ACTRN12617000745347.
Identification
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© 2020 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
