Unblinded Quasi-Randomized Pilot Study Exploring the Benefits of the ZeroG TRiP System to Improve Patient Balance Following an Acute Stroke
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 入组人数
- 32
- 试验地点
- 2
- 主要终点
- Differences in the Percent Change of Berg Balance Scale (BBS) Assessment Scores
研究概览
简要总结
Strokes are neurological events that can lead to devastating physical and cognitive deficits, such as the inability to ambulate, impaired balance regulation, and loss of coordination. Due to the physical and cognitive deficits experienced following a stroke, many require admission to an inpatient rehabilitation facility to maximize their independence before returning to the home setting. The ability to walk, stand, climb stairs, and other mobility-related functional tasks, are critical components of achieving this functional independence. However, it is often difficult for post-stroke patients with balance impairments to safely practice balance and gait training without putting both therapists and patients at risk for injury. Incorporating robotic technologies to neurological rehabilitation can play a critical role in delivering safe and effective gait and balance therapy.
Body-weight support systems (BWSSs) unload paretic lower limbs, patients with gait impairments can practice a higher repetition of steps in a safe, controlled manner. As participants perform gait training, these systems support the participant's body-weight, permitting those with excessive weakness and poor coordination, to ambulate and perform more intensive therapy sessions sooner in their recovery, with minimal risk injurious fall. In addition to BWSSs, balance perturbation systems, which purposefully unbalance participants so to rehabilitate their postural control, have been used to improve gait and balance-control after stroke, or other age and disease related balance impairments.
The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a recently developed, not yet reported, balance perturbation module for the ZeroG BWSS. This new balance perturbation training module is directly integrated into the ZeroG BWSS and allows for the direct induction of safe lateral, anterior, and/or posterior perturbations via a Wi-Fi-enabled handheld device. During both stationary and ambulatory activities, this system was used unbalance participants in order to train their balance-control and balance-reactions. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if this newly developed BWSS balance perturbation system more effectively rehabilitates participant gait and balance after stroke than the standard BWSS protocol without perturbations.
详细描述
Body-Weight Support System Equipment and Interventions:
For this study, the BWSS used was the FDA listed ZeroG Gait and Balance System (Aretech, LLC, Ashburn, VA). ZeroG was first introduced to the investigators institution in September 2019. Unlike some BWSSs, this device is mounted on an overhead track that follows users during ambulation. Like other BWSSs, this system is designed to unload the users of up-to 200 pounds of their body weight while simultaneously protecting patients from falling. For this study, 10 pounds of participants' body-weight, the system minimum required to engage the BWSS, was continuously displaced. If a participant were to fall, the system would detect the change, decelerate, and stop the descent after a set distance; the fall distance was set between 8 to 12 inches for the purpose of this study. Unlike other BWSSs, a newly developed balance perturbation module known as the Training Responses in Postural rehabilitation or TRiP, is directly integrated to the ZeroG BWSS. This perturbation module is different than other systems as the balance perturbations are elicited directly through the BWSS and do not require a treadmill, tilt-table/shaking platform, or manual exertion by a. Further, they can be induced during normal gait and balance exercises during therapy. The BWSS control group interventions consisted of various balance activities, including: marching, side-stepping, retro-ambulation, step-taps, and step-ups. The BWSS control group also practiced various gait tasks, including: ambulation over the ground, going up and down stairs, and performing sit-to-stand transitions. The BWSS with perturbation (BWSS-P) intervention group performed the same activities as the control group, with the addition of lateral, anterior, and posterior perturbations. Assistive devices and equipment were used during intervention sessions as recommended by the participant's primary therapist, including: canes, rolling walkers, hemi-walkers, and ankle-foot-orthoses (AFO), ankle support braces, and upper extremity slings.
Investigators administered perturbations using a Wi-Fi-enabled handheld device linked to the BWSS and these consisted of a sudden and brief assistive or resistive force in the desired direction. Lateral perturbations were issued while participants were in a static stance, while anterior and posterior perturbations were issued during ambulation; eight perturbations, two in each direction, were completed each session. All participants started at perturbation level "one" and progressed up to a maximum perturbation level of "ten" through the course of the study. The amount of force exerted at each perturbation level is pre-set by the manufacturer. The perturbation level (i.e. intensity or force) used each session was based on the participant's progress and observational analysis made by the investigator of the participants' response to the perturbation level. If the participant was able to tolerate the initial perturbation level without exhibiting a balance reaction, the perturbation level was incrementally increased until an appropriate balance reaction was exhibited. If a participant was unable to recover and elicited a fall response in the system, the perturbation level was decreased by one level to ensure patient safety, and the exercise repeated to reinforce the exercise mechanics and participant confidence.
Participants in both study groups received a total of eight treatment sessions over two weeks. As necessary, participants received up to two sessions in one day to ensure they completed the required eight sessions before discharge. These sessions were incorporated into the participants' regular care. Treatment sessions were broken into 30 minute blocks as it standard at the host facility. This time includes participant transportation, equipment set-up, and in the case of this study, donning the BWSS harness. On average, participants received 20 minutes of active time in the BWSS for each 30 minute treatment block. All sessions were analyzed equally despite the length of time in the BWSS.
Missing data:
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Non Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- None
盲法说明
Participants and care providers are unable to be masked to the intervention arm due to the nature of the study. As data was extracted, investigators were unable to blind the data prior to exporting.
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Admission Berg Balance Scale score of 21 or greater
- •18 years of age or older
- •Be able to understand and respond to simple verbal instructions in any language
- •Be able to physically tolerate and actively participate in at least three, 30 minute weekly sessions in the ZeroG body weight support system
排除标准
- •Cognitive deficits that would disrupt the ability to provide informed consent
- •Admission Berg Balance Scale score less than 21
- •Uncontrolled hypotension
- •Uncontrolled hypertension
- •Unstable skin structure (i.e. skin grafts, chest tubes)
- •Unstable rib or lower extremity fractures
- •Osteoporosis
- •Active enteric infection control precautions
- •New limb amputations
- •Need for greater than 50% high flow oxygen
- •Body weight greater than 450 pounds (structural limitations of the ZeroG body weight support system)
结局指标
主要结局
Differences in the Percent Change of Berg Balance Scale (BBS) Assessment Scores
时间窗: The pre-assessment Berg Balance Scale score was collected during the initial physical therapy assessment within 48 hours of admission, as part of their normal care. The post-assessment was collected within 24 hours prior to discharge.
The Berg Balance Scale is a standardized objective measure of a subject/participant's balance. It is scored on a scale of 0 to 56, with 56 being the best score possible. Admission and discharge Berg scores are collected using from a chart review within 48 hours of participant discharge. The BBS percent change is calculated using the following formula: \[((Post assessement)-(Pre assessment))/(Pre assessment)\] ×100%
Difference in Berg Balance Scale Pre-intervention and Post-intervention Assessment Scores
时间窗: The pre-assessment Berg Balance Scale score was collected during the initial physical therapy assessment within 48 hours of admission, as part of their normal care. The post-assessment was collected within 24 hours prior to discharge.
The Berg Balance Scale is a standardized objective measure of a subject/participant's balance. It is scored on a scale of 0 to 56, with 56 being the best score possible. Admission and discharge Berg scores are collected from a chart review within 48 hours of participant discharge. The change in Berg score is calculated by subtracting the participants admission or pre-assessment score from their discharge or post-assessment score: (Post assessment)-(Pre assessment)
Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale Score Change
时间窗: The pre-assessment ABC is completed at participant enrollment just prior to first intervention. The post-assessment ABC is completed immediately after final intervention.
The ABC Scale subjectively measures a person's self-perceived balance-confidence to perform various tasks without losing balance or experiencing a sense of unsteadiness; it is based on a rating scale from 0% (no confidence) to 100% (completely confident); higher the score the better.
Comparison of Berg Balance Scale Assessment Score Changes
时间窗: The pre-assessment Berg Balance Scale score was collected during the initial physical therapy assessment within 48 hours of admission, as part of their normal care. The post-assessment was collected within 24 hours prior to discharge.
The Berg Balance Scale is a standardized objective measure of a subject/participant's balance. It is scored on a scale of 0 to 56, with 56 being the best score possible. Admission and discharge Berg scores are collected using from a chart review within 48 hours of participant discharge. The change in Berg score is calculated by subtracting the participants admission or pre-assessment score from their discharge or post-assessment score: (Post assessment) - (Pre assessment). The score change between groups was then compared between the two treatment groups
次要结局
- Perturbation Level Progression(Perturbation level recordings completed for each of the 8 sessions completed over an average of 2 weeks.)
- Toilet Transfer Score(The pre-assessment Toilet transfer score is collected during the initial occupational therapy assessment within 48 hours of admission, as part of their normal care. The post-assessment is collected within 24 hours prior to discharge.)
- Ambulation Score(The pre-assessment Ambulation score is collected during the initial occupational therapy assessment within 48 hours of admission, as part of their normal care. The post-assessment is collected within 24 hours prior to discharge.)