Effect of Robotised Gait Training on Dynamic Balance, Symmetry and Push-off in Persons After Stroke (BART)

February 12, 2021 updated by: University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia
Rehabilitation robotics is increasingly used because it enables the patients to practice a wide array of movements. Dynamic balance training is essential for gait rehabilitation and robotised devices enhance repeatability, objectivity and precision of such training combined with monitoring and recording of kinematic and kinetic data. The aim of the study is to explore the effect of robot-assisted gait training on dynamic balance, symmetry and take-off in patients after stroke. The investigators will conduct a randomised intervention study where one group will receive visual feedback on gait status and the other group will receive kinetically-assisted training using a robotised device in addition to the visual feedback.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Gait training will start 3 weeks after admission to inpatient rehabilitation. It will last for 3 weeks, 5 times per week, 30 minutes per day. The first few sessions with the robotic device will serve to familiarise the patient with the BART device and training conditions. Further details are described in the Arms and Interventions section.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
10

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Slovenia
      • Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1000
        • University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 95 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subacute phase after first ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke (less than 6 months after stroke);
  • Limb hemiparesis;
  • Ability to walk independently (FAC 6) or with assistance (FAC 5) on flat and uneven surfaces, stairs and slopes;
  • Adequate cardiovascular ability (NYHA 1).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Degenerative process or postoperative condition on lower-limb joints that would hinder gait;
  • Associated neurological disease;
  • Decreased cognitive ability (KPSS < 25).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Device Feasibility
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Controls

In each session, the group will undergo standard gait training on BART without pelvic perturbations, i.e.,

  • walk a virtual track on the BART without pelvic perturbations (i.e., the pelvic brace of the BART device will be set to follow the patient's motion) for 10 minutes;
  • practise gait symmetry and take-off using visual feedback without pelvic perturbations in two 10-minute sessions.
Device: Standard gait training on BART without pelvic perturbations
The Balance Assisted Robot on Treadmill (BART) enables various types of gait training on treadmill with visual feedback. It interfaces to the pelvis of the walking subject in an actuated and admittance-controlled manner, thus providing transparent haptic interaction with negligible power transfer.
Experimental: Experimental

In each session, the group will undergo robotised gait training with BART with pelvic perturbations, i.e.,

  • walk a virtual track on the BART with pelvic perturbations during virtual uphill walk and virtual curved walk for 10 minutes;
  • practise gait symmetry and take-off using visual feedback with pelvic perturbations for 10 minutes;
  • practise dynamic gait balance using pelvic perturbations during treadmill walking for 10 minutes.
Device: Robotised gait training with BART with pelvic perturbations
In addition to the standard gait training, the BART will deliver perturbations in the forward/backward and left/right direction.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in postural stability during walking
Time Frame: Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Assessed using the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) scale. The scale scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating less impairment.
Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in functional ambulation category
Time Frame: Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Assessed using the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC) scale. The FAC is a 6-point scale (0-5), with higher category indicating better walking ability.
Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Change in functional independence
Time Frame: Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Assessed using the Motor subscale of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). FIM Motor subscale scores range from 13 to 91, with higher scores indicating better functional independence.
Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Change in fall-risk related mobility
Time Frame: Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Assessed using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Longer TUG times indicate worse mobility (and thus higher fall risk).
Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Change in ability to change directions while stepping
Time Frame: Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Assessed using the Four Square Step Test (FSST). The FSST is timed, with longer times indicating worse ability.
Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Change in walking speed over a short distance
Time Frame: Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Assessed using the 10 Meter Walk Test (10MWT)
Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Change in walking speed over a long distance
Time Frame: Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Assessed using the 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT)
Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in kinesiological characteristics of gait
Time Frame: Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme
Assessed using the BART device
Assessment before and after the 3-week training programme

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Matjaž Zadravec, PhD, University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 31, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 18, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 18, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 20, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 15, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 12, 2021

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • URIS201802

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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