The ERA Stroke project will compare the effects of robotic gait training (RGT) and usual care (UC) gait training in patients in the subacute phase of stroke recovery undergoing inpatient rehabilitation at the Baylor Scott \& White Institute for Rehabilitation (BSWIR).
Importance: Stroke is estimated to affect 6.6 million Americans, and around 795,000 new cases are reported each year. By 2030, annual stroke-related healthcare costs are expected to eclipse $240 billion, a staggering 445% increase from the current annual cost of $53.9 billion. Specialized stroke rehabilitation reduces long-term disability and stroke-related costs, making cost-efficient efforts to minimize functional deficits faced by people with stroke (e.g., gait impairment) a high priority. This project will provision preliminary evidence regarding the clinical use and efficacy of robotic gait training (RGT) during the subacute phase of stroke recovery as well as observational findings associated with the safety, tolerability, feasibility, and cost of delivering RGT during inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Its results will help with developing safe, tolerable, and cost-effective training protocols to improve walking function after stroke. Additionally, follow-up assessments after discharge will investigate any carryover effect of RGT, providing foundational data to evaluate the dose-response relationship for delivering RGT during inpatient rehabilitation after stroke. Altogether, this evidence will help stroke rehabilitation programs to assess their planning and budgeting needs prior to adopting RGT technology, improving outcomes and lowering lifetime care costs for patients with stroke. Aims: (1) Evaluate the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of delivering an RGT intervention that meets the unique needs of people after stroke during inpatient rehabilitation informed by an Advisory Board comprised of stakeholders living with stroke. (2) Examine the efficacy of RGT compared to usual care (UC) gait training during inpatient rehabilitation for people with stroke. (3) Conduct a cost analysis of delivering RGT during inpatient rehabilitation compared to UC. Methods: This randomized controlled trial will enroll 54 patients admitted to the Baylor Scott and White Institute for Rehabilitation following stroke. Participants will be randomized to either the experimental group receiving RGT or the control group receiving UC. Addition to State-of-the-Art: Expected products include a manualized, stakeholder-informed RGT intervention and cost-analysis template that can be replicated across early rehabilitation settings nationally for people with stroke. Sustained Approach: This project builds upon our earlier findings to achieve optimal walking recovery post-stroke during inpatient rehabilitation. The proposed work will generate preliminary efficacy, safety, tolerability, feasibility, and cost-analysis data concerning delivering an RGT intervention during the subacute phase for people with stroke.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
54
Participants will complete standing and walking activities while wearing a robotic exoskeleton. Participants will also be asked to complete questionnaires about their walking and function.
Participants will complete standing and walking activities such as body weight-supported treadmill training and conventional overground walking. Participants will also be asked to complete questionnaires about their walking and function.
Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation
Dallas, Texas, United States
RECRUITINGGait speed via 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT)
The 10MWT assesses gait speed over a short duration. Gait speed (m/s) is correlated with ability to mobilize in the community, capacity to perform activities of daily living, and risk of falls, re-hospitalization, and cognitive decline. The 10MWT can be used to categorize individuals according to their ambulatory ability: household ambulators (\<0.4 m/s), limited community ambulators (0.4 to 0.8 m/s), and community ambulators (\>0.8 m/s). Score changes \>0.16 m/s exceed the MCID. Normal gait speed for adults older than 50 years is \>1.27 m/s.
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
Functional Ambulation Category (FAC)
The FAC assesses functional ambulation in patients undergoing rehabilitation and has excellent reliability, good predictive validity, and good responsiveness in patients with stroke. Scores range from 0 (unable to walk) to 5 (independent walking anywhere). After 4 weeks of rehabilitation, FAC scores ≥4 predict community ambulation at 6 months with 100% sensitivity and 78% specificity.
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation (CARE)
The Section GG CARE is utilized in post-acute care settings for tracking progress across the continuum of care and is conducted at admission and discharge. The CARE addresses self-care (GG0130, 8 items) and functional mobility (GG0170, 17 items). Scores for each item range from 1 (dependent) to 6 (independent). Total scores for the CARE have strong positive correlations with total scores for the Functional Independence Measure.
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
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6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT)
The 6MWT assesses distance walked over 6 minutes as a sub-maximal test of walking capacity. Endurance (captured as walking capacity) is essential to participate in community-based activities. With excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.99) for people with stroke, the established MCID is 34.4 meters.
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
Modified Rankin Scale (mRS)
The mRS measures the degree of disability or dependence in the daily activities of people who have had a stroke. The mRS is an ordinal scale with 6 categories ranging from 0 (no symptoms) to 5 (complete physical dependence).
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM)
The STREAM assesses upper and lower limb motor function along with basic mobility in people with stroke and has a very high inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.96). MCID values have been established for the upper extremity (2.2 points), lower extremity (1.9 points), and mobility (4.8 points) subscales.
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
5 Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5TSST)
The 5TSST assesses lower extremity strength and is an indicator of postural control. People with stroke who score \>15 seconds are considered at risk for falls. Normal scores for individuals aged 60-80 years range from 11.4 to 12.7 seconds. The 5TSST has demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.95) with an established MDC95 of 2.3 seconds.
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
The BBS is a 14-item objective measure that assesses static balance and fall risk in adults. With excellent reliability (ICC = 0.95), the BBS has a large responsiveness for acute stroke (effect size = 0.85) and a minimal detectable change of 6.9 points. Scores \<45/56 indicate a risk of falling.
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
Stroke Impact Scale - 16 (SIS-16)
The SIS-16 assesses 4 dimensions of health-related QOLs specific to people who have had a stroke. It includes subscales that assess strength, hand function, mobility, and activities of daily living via 5-point Likert scales.
Time frame: within 7 days of admission to inpatient rehabilitation, within 7 days of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 month (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 3 months (±14 days) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation
Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
The Borg RPE is a 15-point scale with verbal descriptors to standardize perceived exertion across tasks and individuals. Participants will be asked to provide a self-reported intensity level on the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale during RGT and UC gait training sessions. A self-report of 12 to 14 on the RPE indicates moderate intensity.
Time frame: immediately following every treatment session until discharge from inpatient rehabilitation (an average of 2 weeks)
Number of steps (RGT only)
The Ekso device records several data points for each session including number of steps, "Up" time (the amount of time spent standing in the device), "Walk" time (the amount of time spent walking in the device), and device assistance scores. While all of these data values will be recorded to describe each RGT session and tracked to monitor progression of the RGT intervention, the number of steps per session will be utilized as an indicator of RGT session intensity.
Time frame: immediately following every treatment session until discharge from inpatient rehabilitation (an average of 2 weeks)
Distance walked (UC only)
Distance walked will be recorded to describe each UC session, tracked to monitor progression of the UC intervention, and utilized as an indicator of UC session intensity.
Time frame: immediately following every treatment session until discharge from inpatient rehabilitation (an average of 2 weeks)