Gert Kwakkel

Stroke, Vol. 35, No. 11. (1 November 2004), pp. 2529-2539.

Background and Purpose-- To present a systematic review of studies that addresses the effects of intensity of augmented exercise therapy time (AETT) on activities of daily living (ADL), walking, and dexterity in patients with stroke. Summary of Review-- A database of articles published from 1966 to November 2003 was compiled from MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PEDro, DARE, and PiCarta using combinations of the following key words: stroke, cerebrovascular disorders, physical therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise therapy, rehabilitation, intensity, dose-response relationship, effectiveness, and randomized controlled trial. References presented in relevant publications were examined as well as abstracts in proceedings. Studies that satisfied the following selection criteria were included: (1) patients had a diagnosis of stroke; (2) effects of intensity of exercise training were investigated; and (3) design of the study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT). For each outcome measure, the estimated effect size (ES) and the summary effect size (SES) expressed in standard deviation units (SDU) were calculated for ADL, walking speed, and dexterity using fixed and random effect models. Correlation coefficients were calculated between observed individual effect sizes on ADL of each study, additional time spent on exercise training, and methodological quality. Cumulative meta-analyses (random effects model) adjusted for the difference in treatment intensity in each study was used for the trials evaluating the effects of AETT provided. Twenty of the 31 candidate studies, involving 2686 stroke patients, were included in the synthesis. The methodological quality ranged from 2 to 10 out of the maximum score of 14 points. The meta-analysis resulted in a small but statistically significant SES with regard to ADL measured at the end of the intervention phase. Further analysis showed a significant homogeneous SES for 17 studies that investigated effects of increased exercise intensity within the first 6 months after stroke. No significant SES was observed for the 3 studies conducted in the chronic phase. Cumulative meta-analysis strongly suggests that at least a 16-hour difference in treatment time between experimental and control groups provided in the first 6 months after stroke is needed to obtain significant differences in ADL. A significant SES supporting a higher intensity was also observed for instrumental ADL and walking speed, whereas no significant SES was found for dexterity. Conclusion-- The results of the present research synthesis support the hypothesis that augmented exercise therapy has a small but favorable effect on ADL, particularly if therapy input is augmented at least 16 hours within the first 6 months after stroke. This meta-analysis also suggests that clinically relevant treatment effects may be achieved on instrumental ADL and gait speed.
Gert Kwakkel, Roland van Peppen, Robert Wagenaar, Wood, Carol Richards, Ann Ashburn, Kimberly Miller, Nadina Lincoln, Cecily Partridge, Ian Wellwood, Peter Langhorne

Stroke, Vol. 34, No. 9. (1 September 2003), pp. 2181-2186.

Background and Purpose-- To improve the accuracy of early postonset prediction of motor recovery in the flaccid hemiplegic arm, the effects of change in motor function over time on the accuracy of prediction were evaluated, and a prediction model for the probability of regaining dexterity at 6 months was developed. Methods-- In 102 stroke patients, dexterity and paresis were measured with the Action Research Arm Test, Motricity Index, and Fugl-Meyer motor evaluation. For model development, 23 candidate determinants were selected. Logistic regression analysis was used for prognostic factors and model development. Results-- At 6 months, some dexterity in the paretic arm was found in 38%, and complete functional recovery was seen in 11.6% of the patients. Total anterior circulation infarcts, right hemisphere strokes, homonymous hemianopia, visual gaze deficit, visual inattention, and paresis were statistically significant related to a poor arm function. Motricity Index leg scores of at least 25 points in the first week and Fugl-Meyer arm scores of 11 points in the second week increasing to 19 points in the fourth week raised the probability of developing some dexterity (Action Research Arm Test [IMG]=" BORDER="0">10 points) from 74% (positive predictive value [PPV], 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.86) to 94% (PPV, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.91) at 6 months. No change in probabilities of prediction dexterity was found after 4 weeks. Conclusions-- Based on the Fugl-Meyer scores of the flaccid arm, optimal prediction of arm function outcome at 6 months can be made within 4 weeks after onset. Lack of voluntary motor control of the leg in the first week with no emergence of arm synergies at 4 weeks is associated with poor outcome at 6 months.
Gert Kwakkel, Boudewijn Kollen, Jeroen van der Grond, Arie Prevo

Stroke, Vol. 28, No. 8. (1 August 1997), pp. 1550-1556.

Background and Purpose A research synthesis was performed to (1) critically review controlled studies evaluating effects of different intensities of stroke rehabilitation in terms of disabilities and impairments and (2) quantify patterns by calculating summary effect sizes. The influences of organizational setting of rehabilitation management, blind recording, and amount of rehabilitation on the summary effect sizes were calculated. Methods A Medline literature search was performed for a critical review of the literature. The internal and external validity of the studies was evaluated. In addition, a meta-analysis was performed by applying the fixed (Hedges's g) effects model. Results The effects of different intensities of rehabilitation were studied in nine controlled studies involving 1051 patients. Analysis of the methodological quality revealed scores varying from 14% to 47% of the maximum feasible score. Meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant summary effect size for activities of daily living (0.28+/-0.12). Lower summary effect sizes (0.19+/-0.17) were found for studies in which experimental and control groups were treated in the same setting compared with studies in which the two groups of patients were treated in different settings (0.40+/-0.19). Variables defined on a neuromuscular level (0.37+/-0.24) showed larger summary effect sizes than variables defined on a functional level (0.10+/-0.21). Weighting individual effect sizes for the difference in amount of rehabilitation between experimental and control groups resulted in larger summary effect sizes for activities of daily living and functional outcome parameters for studies that were not confounded by organizational setting. Conclusions A small but statistically significant intensity-effect relationship in the rehabilitation of stroke patients was found. Insufficient contrast in the amount of rehabilitation between experimental and control conditions, organizational setting of rehabilitation management, lack of blinding procedures, and heterogeneity of patient characteristics were major confounding factors.
Gert Kwakkel, Robert Wagenaar, Tim Koelman, Gustaaf Lankhorst, Johan Koetsier

Medicare and Medicaid News

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Effects of Intensity of Rehabilitation After Stroke : A Research Synthesis