The effect of combined low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(LF r TMS) and virtual reality(VR) training in patients after stroke was assessed. In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 11...The effect of combined low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(LF r TMS) and virtual reality(VR) training in patients after stroke was assessed. In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 112 patients with hemiplegia after stroke were randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control. In experimental group, the patients received LF r TMS and VR training treatment, and those in control group received sham r TMS and VR training treatment. Participants in both groups received therapy of 6 days per week for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint including the upper limb motor function test of Fugl-meyer assessment(U-FMA) and wolf motor function test(WMFT), and the secondary endpoint including modified Barthel index(MBI) and 36-item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire(SF-36) were assessed before and 4 weeks after treatment. Totally, 108 subjects completed the study(55 in experimental group and 53 in control group respectively). After 4-week treatment, the U-FMA scores [mean difference of 13.2, 95% confidence interval(CI) 3.6 to 22.7, P〈0.01], WMFT scores(mean difference of 2.9, 95% CI 2.7 to 12.3, P〈0.01), and MBI scores(mean difference 16.1, 95% CI 3.8 to 9.4, P〈0.05) were significantly increased in the experimental group as compared with the control group. The results suggested the combined use of LF r TMS with VR training could effectively improve the upper limb function, the living activity, and the quality of life in patients with hemiplegia following subacute stroke, which may provide a better rehabilitation treatment for subacute stroke.展开更多
文摘The effect of combined low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(LF r TMS) and virtual reality(VR) training in patients after stroke was assessed. In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 112 patients with hemiplegia after stroke were randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control. In experimental group, the patients received LF r TMS and VR training treatment, and those in control group received sham r TMS and VR training treatment. Participants in both groups received therapy of 6 days per week for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint including the upper limb motor function test of Fugl-meyer assessment(U-FMA) and wolf motor function test(WMFT), and the secondary endpoint including modified Barthel index(MBI) and 36-item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire(SF-36) were assessed before and 4 weeks after treatment. Totally, 108 subjects completed the study(55 in experimental group and 53 in control group respectively). After 4-week treatment, the U-FMA scores [mean difference of 13.2, 95% confidence interval(CI) 3.6 to 22.7, P〈0.01], WMFT scores(mean difference of 2.9, 95% CI 2.7 to 12.3, P〈0.01), and MBI scores(mean difference 16.1, 95% CI 3.8 to 9.4, P〈0.05) were significantly increased in the experimental group as compared with the control group. The results suggested the combined use of LF r TMS with VR training could effectively improve the upper limb function, the living activity, and the quality of life in patients with hemiplegia following subacute stroke, which may provide a better rehabilitation treatment for subacute stroke.