Bilateral Robot-assisted Upper Extremity Rehabilitation on Motor Recovery in People With Subacute Stroke

Cerebral stroke is one of the major causes of mortality and disability in the world. Upper limb disorders are evident up to 85% of stroke survivors and persist, even 6 months after the acute event, in 55-75% of patients. Recovery of upper limb ability represents a major challenge for neurorehabilitation. Among recent strategies and trends in stroke rehabilitation, robotic technologies are having more space and their application in clinical routine is increasing. The promising effects of robot-assisted therapy for upper limb rehabilitation (Robot-Assisted Therapy-RAT) have been demonstrated in terms of recovery of arm and hand range of motion, muscle strength, thus improving performance of activities of daily living (AVQ). In particular, the latest generation exoskeletal robots have demonstrated their effectiveness, promoting a three-dimensional rehabilitation activity. At the same time, bimanual therapy represents a different training modality which has its solid neuroscientific foundations to improve learning and positively address neuroplasticity phenomena. However, there is no information regarding the effectiveness of these robots on subjects suffering from stroke and in the subacute phase. The primary objective of this RCT is to study the clinical effects of upper limb rehabilitation through a bilateral exoskeleton (Bilateral Robot-Assisted Therapy-BRAT) within standard rehabilitation, on motor recovery, compared to conventional arm re-education in people suffering from stroke in the subacute phase. Secondary objectives of the study include: evaluation of the effectiveness of BRAT on bilateral recovery of arm motor skills and quality of life of study participants; the identification of the characteristics of patients who can benefit most from BRAT in terms of age, distance from the acute event and extent of the motor deficit of the upper limb. The effects of BRAT on motor recovery will also be studied from a neurophysiological (EEG and sEMG) and biomechanical (Inertial Measurement Units-IMU) point of view.The study will develop over 24 months, and includes 3 phases as follows: Phase 1- patient enrollment and screening; Phase 2 Treatment of participants; Phase 3 - Statistical analysis of the data. The study protocol will involve people diagnosed with stroke according to established inclusion and exclusion criteria who will be randomly assigned to one of the following groups: Experimental Group (EG) - robotic treatment for upper limb rehabilitation or Control Group (CG) - conventional treatment for upper limb rehabilitation. The experimental group (EG), in addition to the standard rehabilitation treatment, will perform one BRAT session per day through the Arm Light Exoskeleton Hybrid (Alex RS - Wearable Robotics) robotic system. Each participant will perform a total of 16+/-3 treatment sessions with a frequency of 4 times a week for 4 consecutive weeks. All the devices that will be used have the CE (European Conformity) marking. The control group (CG), in addition to the standard routine rehabilitation treatment, will follow a conventional rehabilitation of the upper limbs (16+/-3 treatment sessions) without the use of technological devices. The motor exercises will concern the rehabilitation of the upper limb and will be performed with a therapist who will personalize the treatment based on the clinical characteristics and needs of the patient. Specifically, the treatment of the upper limb will be characterized by motor exercises (shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand), coordination and manual dexterity. All subjects will be evaluated with a standard clinical objective examination and with clinical rating scales and instrumental assessments. These scales will be administered at baseline (T0), at the end of treatment (T1) and 3 months after the end of treatment (follow-up). The main expected results are: identify a customizable rehabilitation protocol for motor recovery of the upper limb based on the clinical characteristics of each individual patient; achieve better motor recovery both in terms of range of motion and muscle recruitment associated with cognitive stimulation following upper limb rehabilitation through the Alex exoskeleton bilateral robotic assistance system; achieve better muscle activation and therefore better motor performance in the EG; achieve greater autonomy in carrying out daily life activities and consequently greater participation.