Effectiveness of Robotics in Stroke Rehabilitation to Accelerate Upper Extremity Function: Systematic Review.

Journal: Occupational therapy international
PMID: 37927581

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of robot-assisted therapy (RAT) combined with conventional therapy (CT) compared to CT alone in accelerating upper extremity (UE) recovery poststroke. . We searched five databases: Ovid, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus Study Selection. Studies were selected for this review using the following inclusion criteria: randomized controlled trials of adults, RAT combined with CT compared to CT, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) as an outcome measure. Studies focused on children with neurological impairments, and studies that used RAT to facilitate lower extremity recovery and/or improve gait were excluded. . The initial search yielded 3,019 citations of articles published between January 2011 and May 2021. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Randomization, allocation sequence concealment, blinding, and other biases were assessed. . Current evidence suggests that the use of RAT along with CT may accelerate upper extremity recovery, measured by FMA, in the beginning of rehabilitation. However, the progress fades over time. More empirical research is needed to validate this observation. Also, the findings related to cost-benefit analyses of RAT are inconclusive.

Authors

  • Cora Carrillo
    University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
  • Devyn Tilley
    University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
  • Kaitlyn Horn
    University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
  • Michelle Gonzalez
    University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
  • Cassidy Coffman
    University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
  • Claudia Hilton
    University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
  • Karthik Mani
    University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.

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