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StrokeNCT03759106

Optimizing a Home-based Virtual Reality Exercise Program for Chronic Stroke Patients: A Telerehabilitation Approach

A study testing home written exercise program and telerehabilitation/exergame system in people with Stroke, run by Université de Montréal at 1 site in Canada.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
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Trial summary

Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide and its incidence is on the rise. Importantly, loss of arm function occurs in up to 85% of stroke survivors, with a significant long-term impact on activities of daily living, leisure activities and work. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Stroke
What is being tested?
home written exercise program and telerehabilitation/exergame system
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
52 participants
Where
1 siteCanada
Study dates
27 Jun 2019to Dec 2023
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke (does not have to be a first time stroke);
  • Mild to moderate upper limb impairment (score 2-6 Chedoke-McMaster arm component or ability to perform VR tasks at least at the lowest setting according to clinician);
  • No longer receiving rehabilitation services;
  • living in an area where high speed Internet access is available.

Who cannot join

  • Being medically unstable;
  • Severe cognitive or communication deficits;
  • Visual impairments;
  • Severe balance deficits limiting sitting safely independently;
  • Shoulder pain limiting movements for the game;
  • Previous upper limb impairment limiting potential recovery.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Alejandro Hernandez, MSc contact

514-340-2085

alejandro.hernandez@mail.mcgill.ca

Dahlia Kairy, phd contact

514-343-6301

dahlia.kairy@umontreal.ca

Canada1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Université de Montréal

    Montreal, Quebec, H3N 1X7

    Dorra Allegue, MSc, dorra.allegue@umontreal.ca

    Alejandro Hernandez, MSc, alejandro.hernandez@mail.mcgill.ca

    Recruiting

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide and its incidence is on the rise. Importantly, loss of arm function occurs in up to 85% of stroke survivors, with a significant long-term impact on activities of daily living, leisure activities and work. The capacity for recovery following a stroke depends on several factors, including the extent of the initial neurological damage, spontaneous recovery and rehabilitation, with possible recovery even years after the stroke. Unfortunately, accessibility of much needed rehabilitation services poststroke often remains limited, both in terms of intensity and duration, as reported in a recent report on post-stroke rehabilitation services in Quebec. Recent evidence suggests that homebased telerehabilitation (TR) is a viable approach for upper limb training post-stroke when rehabilitation services are not available. Similarly, the Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care update for 2013 recommends home-based patient monitoring be used when frequent monitoring is needed and face-to-face visits are not available. Hence, the investigators have developed and propose to examine the use of the VirTele system for people who have suffered a stroke who are no longer receiving rehabilitation services The VirTele system allows upper limb rehabilitation using exergames with ongoing off-line monitoring combined with online monitoring and coaching based on the self-determination theory.

Read the detailed description

More specifically, the primary objective of the RCT is to provide preliminary evidence regarding efficacy of the VirTele program for upper limb motor control recovery in chronic stroke. Secondary objectives are to: i. Determine the effect of the VirTele program on upper limb function, quality of life and motivation; ii. Determine the feasibility of using the VirTele program with users at home (e.g. adherence, safety, technical difficulties, facilitators and barriers); iii. Explore the role that shared decision-making and empowerment play in exercise program adherence and progression, and in behavior modification for upper-limb use.

This study will also provide evidence of feasibility for conducting a larger-scale RCT comparing different technologies and interventions for chronic stroke rehabilitation.

A single-blind (evaluator) two-arm randomized clinical trial (RCT) is proposed for this study with participants who have had a stroke randomly allocated to: (1) 8-week training with the VirTele system.i.e. treatment group or (2) 8-week written home exercise program provided by a clinician (GRASP), i.e. exercise control group.

Conditions
Stroke
Being tested
home written exercise program, telerehabilitation/exergame system
Keywords
Virtual reality, telerehabilitation, Stroke rehabilitation
Medical subject headings
Stroke

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • home written exercise programOther

    exercises such as picking up objects, placing objects, frequently prescribed at discharge

  • telerehabilitation/exergame systemOther

    Video games using the Kinect camera that are carried out using the impaired arm and monitored by a therapist by videoconferencing

Study groups in NCT03759106
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
No Intervention: Usual careOtherAll study participants in the control group will receive an 8-week written home exercise program (e.g. GRASP) , i.e. the usual care discharge home program.
Receives: Other: home written exercise program
Experimental: Telerehabilitation systemExperimentalParticipants in the experimental group will receive 8 weeks home exercise program using a virtual reality (VR) and telerehabilitation system. The intensity and choice of game for the home program will be determined by the therapist based on the patient's abilities, interests, motivation and fatigue. The patient's performance for the VR home program will be monitored asynchronously and synchronously and the program adapted to ensure it remains at an appropriate level for the patient.
Receives: Other: telerehabilitation/exergame system

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change from Baseline in Upper limb motor control at 8 weeks as measured using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-UE (FMA-UE)

    Upper limb motor control is assessed using a valid and reliable outcome, scores between 0-66, higher scores indicating better motor control. measure consisting of tasks to be performed by the participant

    Measured: baseline and eight weeks after intervention, as well as 1 and 2 month follow up

Secondary outcomes (10)
  1. Change from Baseline in Upper limb function at 8 weeks Impact on upper extremity use in daily activities will be using the Motor Activity Log, a self-reported measure of upper limb use

    The Motor Activity Log is a questionnaire that the participant completes reporting how much the impaired upper limb is used for various daily tasks, each task is scored from 0-5 (ordinal scale, 0=do not use arm - 6=use as much as before), total score is mean of the scores.

    Measured: baseline and eight weeks after intervention, as well as 1 and 2 month follow up

  2. Change from Baseline in Upper limb function at 8 weeks using the Wolf Motor Function Test

    The Wolf Motor Function test consists of tasks that are performed by the participant with the impaired upper extremity, the tasks are rated for the quality of movement and the time taken. Items are scored on a 6 point scale, from does not attempt to movement is normal. Times tests are truncated at 120 seconds. A mean score out of a maximum of 5 is calculated.

    Measured: baseline and eight weeks after intervention, as well as 1 and 2 month follow up

  3. number of sessions (feasibility)

    number of sessions played (count)

    Measured: 8 weeks (ongoing)

  4. duration of sessions (Feasibility)

    average duration of sessions played (minutes)

    Measured: 8 weeks (ongoing)

  5. Amount of time spent on the actual exe games (moving the arm)

    amount of actual time spent using the impaired arm during the sessions (minutes)

    Measured: 8 weeks (ongoing)

  6. Frequency of on-line consultations with therapist

    Number of times real-time sessions are held between the therapist and the participant (online)

    Measured: 8 weeks (ongoing)

  7. duration (minutes) of on-line consultations with therapist

    average time spent by the therapist assisting for real-time sessions

    Measured: 8 weeks (ongoing)

  8. adverse event (counts)

    occurrence of adverse events (falls, motion sickness, dizziness, headaches) will be documented using a computerized patient log after each session.

    Measured: 8 weeks (ongoing)

  9. falls (count)

    occurrence of falls documented by the participant

    Measured: 8 weeks (ongoing)

  10. adverse event - exertion (Borg Exertion Scale scored from 6-20, no exertion to maximal exertion)

    self perceived exertion rated by the participant after the session (i.e. playing the exergame) on a scale 6-20, (no exertion to maximal exertion)

    Measured: 8 weeks (ongoing)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted29 Nov 2018
  2. Study start27 Jun 2019
  3. Primary completionMay 2023 (estimated)
  4. Study completionDec 2023 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
52 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03759106
Sponsor's protocol ID
CRIR-1319-0218
Status last verified
Nov 2022
First submitted
27 Nov 2018
Last updated
14 Nov 2022
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Allegue DR, Kairy D, Higgins J, Archambault P, Michaud F, Miller W, Sweet SN, Tousignant M. Optimization of Upper Extremity Rehabilitation by Combining Telerehabilitation With an Exergame in People With Chronic Stroke: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2020 May 21;9(5):e14629. doi: 10.2196/14629.

    PubMed 32097119

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing home written exercise program and telerehabilitation/exergame system in people with Stroke, run by Université de Montréal at 1 site in Canada.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Nov 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Alejandro Hernandez, MSc (514-340-2085, alejandro.hernandez@mail.mcgill.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change from Baseline in Upper limb motor control at 8 weeks as measured using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-UE (FMA-UE) (time frame: baseline and eight weeks after intervention, as well as 1 and 2 month follow up). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03759106, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Nov 2022.

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