Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Jan 19:8:726.
doi: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00726. eCollection 2017.

Short-term Efficacy of Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Training on Upper Arm Function in Acute Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Guilin Meng  1   2 , Xiuling Meng  3 , Yan Tan  1 , Jia Yu  1 , Aiping Jin  1 , Yanxin Zhao  1 , Xueyuan Liu  1
Affiliations

Short-term Efficacy of Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Training on Upper Arm Function in Acute Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Guilin Meng et al. Front Neurol. .

Abstract

Background: Rehabilitation training during the acute phase of stroke (<48 h) markedly improves impaired upper-limb movement. Hand-arm bimanual intensive training (HABIT) represents an intervention that promotes improvements in upper extremity function in children with cerebral palsy. This study repurposed HABIT in acute stroke patients and assessed recovery of upper extremity function when compared with a conventional rehabilitation program (CRP).

Methods: In a randomized trial, 128 patients with acute stroke were assigned to the HABIT or the CRP groups. The primary endpoint was clinical motor functional assessment that was guided by the Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA) and outcomes of the action research arm test (ARAT). The secondary endpoint was an improved neurophysiological evaluation according to the motor-evoked potential amplitude (AMP), resting motion threshold (RMT), and central motor conduction time (CMCT) scores over the 2-week course of therapy. In both groups, scores were evaluated at baseline, 1 week from commencing therapy, and post-therapy.

Results: After 2 weeks, the HABIT group showed improved scores as compared the CRP group for FMA (51.7 ± 6.44 vs. 43.5 ± 5.6, P < 0.001), ARAT (34.5 ± 6.2 vs. 33.3 ± 6.3, P = 0.022), and AMP (1.1 ± 0.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.1, P < 0.001). However, CMCT (8.6 ± 1.0 vs. 9.1 ± 0.6, P = 0.054) and RMT (55.3 ± 4.2 vs. 57.5 ± 4.1, P = 0.088) were similar when comparing between groups.

Conclusion: HABIT significantly improved motor functional and neuro-physiological outcomes in patients with acute stroke, which suggested that HABIT might represent an improved therapeutic strategy as compared CRP.

Keywords: dysfunction; hand-arm bimanual intensive training; randomized controlled trial; stroke; upper extremity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patient flowchart.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Bonita R, Mendis S, Truelsen T, Bogousslavsky J, Toole J, Yatsu F. The global stroke initiative. Lancet Neurol (2004) 3(7):391–3.10.1016/s1474-4422(04)00800-2 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Langhorne P, Bernhardt J, Kwakkel G. Stroke rehabilitation. Lancet (2011) 377(9778):1693–702.10.1016/s0140-6736(11)60325-5 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Pollock A, Farmer SE, Brady MC, Langhorne P, Mead GE, Mehrholz J, et al. Interventions for improving upper limb function after stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2014) 11:CD010820.10.1002/14651858.CD010820.pub2 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Fugl-Meyer AR, Jaasko L, Leyman I, Olsson S, Steglind S. The post-stroke hemiplegic patient. 1. A method for evaluation of physical performance. Scand J Rehabil Med (1975) 7(1):13–31. - PubMed
    1. Lim JS, Kang DW. Stroke connectome and its implications for cognitive and behavioral sequela of stroke. J Stroke (2015) 17(3):256–67.10.5853/jos.2015.17.3.256 - DOI - PMC - PubMed