
NUTRITION: Natural Tocotrienol Against Ischemic Stroke Event
Ischemic StrokeTransient Ischemic Attack (TIA)A natural form of vitamin E called tocotrienol (TCT), found in many common foods such as barley, decreases stroke size in animal models. Vitamin E has blood-thinning properties and lowers cholesterol, which make it a potential therapy for stroke prevention, though these effects are less well characterized for TCT. We plan to conduct two trials (I & IIA) to determine the effects of orally supplemented TCT on platelet function and cholesterol.

iPad Technology for HOME Rehabilitation in Patients After Stroke: iHOME Acute/Chronic
Fine Motor Function Deficit and Visual Neglect Post-strokeA pilot randomized, two parallel group study comparing an iPad software game application versus standard care in post-stroke patients. Study hypothesis: Tablet PC technology using the iPad is a feasible and potentially efficacious tool which has the potential to promote fine motor recovery of the upper extremity after stroke.

Robotic and Conventional Hand Therapy After Stroke
StrokeWeakness is a major cause of disability in stroke survivors. Rehabilitation techniques are often not effective in restoring full function of the upper limb. Specifically, many individuals remain with weakness in the hand, preventing its return to full use. Robotic therapies have been developed as exercise tools for stroke survivors. Devices, such as the InMotion2, have been shown to be useful in restoring some motor function in the upper limb. However, most existing devices designed to be used with the upper limb have primarily been developed to treat the shoulder, elbow and wrist. They have not specifically addressed hand function. Tyromotion, Inc. has developed the Amadeo, which is primarily intended to provide rehabilitation for patients with neurological or orthopedic deficits in hand function. Initial clinical testing has demonstrated the practicality of using this device in a population of stroke survivors, although further research is needed to better understand the usefulness of the Amadeo device as compared with conventional rehabilitation methods. The purpose of this study was to compare results of training with the Amadeo device or training with conventional therapies. A total of 28 subjects from two separate sites participated in the study and underwent baseline testing of upper limb motor and sensory performance and function. Subjects were then assigned to one of two treatment groups with a 50:50 chance of being in either group. One group underwent training with the Amadeo device and the other group underwent training with conventional therapy. All training sessions were 60 minutes in duration, three days/week for eight weeks (24 total sessions). Subjects were reassessed on completion of the training program.

Evaluating the Indego Exoskeleton for Persons With Hemiplegia Due to CVA
Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)Stroke1 moreThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Indego exoskeleton as a gait training tool for individuals with hemiplegia due to Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA).

Energy Consumption and Cardiorespiratory Load During Robot-Assisted Gait Training in Non-Ambulatory...
StrokeThe aim of this study will be to investigate the energy consumption, cardiorespiratory load and perceived exertion in non-ambulatory subacute stroke patients during a robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) session and to compare the exercise intensity with aerobic training recommendations. The second aim is to investigate the effect of different levels of guidance force on the energy consumption, cardiorespiratory load and perceived exertion.

Combined Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Robot-Assisted Upper Arm Training in Subacute...
StrokeThis study was designed to establish the clinical evidence for effect of Robot-Assisted upper arm training and Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on upper limb function of subacute stroke patients. Purpose : to elucidate the effect of Robot-Assisted upper arm training and Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on upper limb function of stroke patients compared to conventional occupational therapy Subjects : total 99 patients with stroke whose upper limb functions are impaired Intervention : 4 weeks of therapy (5 days per week) Studies : upper limb functional assessment (FMA, MFT, WMFT), computerized motion analysis Evaluation plan : 1) pre-intervention, 2) post-2 weeks of intervention, 3) post-4 weeks of intervention, 4) 4 weeks after end of intervention

A Two-Tier Care Management Program to Empower Stroke Caregivers in Hong Kong
StrokeThis study intends to develop a family-based care management intervention with primary aims to provide time-limited support for family caregivers affected by stroke and to empower caregivers through enhancing the family adaptation and functioning and increasing their capacity of stroke care. The objectives include: To examine the effectiveness of the proposed family-based intervention to improve family, caregiver, and service outcome. To examine the cost-effectiveness of the proposed family intervention. It is hypothesized that comparing to the control group, the experimental group participants will have more and significant outcome.

Stroke Patients' Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy (SPORT)
StrokeIncentives1 moreBackground: Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in Singapore, and studies have found that intensive specialized stroke rehabilitation can improve post-stroke functional outcomes for a substantial proportion of stroke patients. However, despite the benefits associated with adherence to prescribed rehabilitation, the uptake rate of outpatient rehabilitation services (ORS) in Singapore is only 33%. According to local longitudinal studies, the financial burden of out-of-pocket service costs and the inconvenient transportation from home to rehabilitation centres are important barriers to access to ORS. Objective: To examine the effect and cost-effectiveness of providing incentives for ORS to improve the uptake of ORS compared to usual care (control) with no incentives Hypothesis: An evidence-based program to test the effectiveness of providing incentives to alleviate the financial burden as well as inconvenience of transportation for ORS will improve the uptake of and adherence to ORS among stroke patients. Methodology: This study is an individual-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 300 stroke patients recruited from Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and Changi General Hospital (CGH). They will be randomized to one of three study arms (education only, free transportation, and free services and transportation) and interviewed at the time of recruitment and four months after the enrolment in the study. Participants' health conditions, socioeconomic situation, health & medical services utilization, stroke-related disability measures, quality of life, and reasons for uptake/rejection/withdraw from the services will be collected during both baseline and the 4th month assessments. Significance: As the first study in Singapore to test innovative ways to increase the stroke ORS uptake rates, it will provide evidence for future policy changes in financing outpatient rehabilitation and other long-term care services in Singapore. It will also provide important empirical parameter estimates for Systems Dynamics modelling of the demand and supply of ORS in Singapore.

Stroke - 65 Plus. Continued Active Life.
Self-managementQuality of LifeSince august 2016, the researchers at a highly specialized neurorehabilitation hospital in a Danish region with 1.2 inhabitants have in cooperation with health professionals from a specialized neurorehabilitation in a Danish municipality with 336,000 inhabitants, worked through and is still working with an iterative process in the development of a novel self-management support intervention for elderly stroke individuals.The intervention is going to be implemented into the second phase- a randomized clinical controlled trial (RCT) in the project named 'Stroke - 65 plus. Continued active life'.

Effect of Gait Training With a Walking Assist Robot on Gait Function and Balance in Patients With...
Gait DisordersNeurologic1 moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gait training with the new wearable hip assist robot developed by Samsung Advance Institute of Technology (Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd, Korea) in patients with chronic stroke.