SynthesisJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2020
Systematic review with network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of robotic-assisted arm training for improving activities of daily living and upper limb function after stroke.
Synthesis in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 4 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 67 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effects of Robot-assistED Rehabilitation Versus OccupatIonal Therapy on the Functional Recovery of the Upper Limb in PatiEnts with Chronic STroke: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Collaborative Development of a Virtual Reality Scenario, Integrated Into a Robotic Upper Limb Rehabilitation Device, for the Treatment of Unilateral Spatial Negligence (NSU) Through Mutisensory Stimulation: Feasibility and Usability Pilot Study
Exploring Cognitive Recovery: the Impact of Sensor-based Robotic Rehabilitation in Neurological and Neurodegenerative Disorders
Effects of Using Advanced NEUROrehabilitation TECHnologies in Upper Limb Motor Function and Capacity Recovery in People With Stroke
Who cites it
67 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Robot-Assisted Therapy for Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke: Umbrella Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Upper limb robotic rehabilitation following stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating efficacy and the influence of device features and program parameters.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of robotic-assisted upper extremity therapy for stroke patients in different recovery phases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Pooled it
- Robotic arm use for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences · 2023Pooled it
- Effect of different modalities of artificial intelligence rehabilitation techniques on patients with upper limb dysfunction after stroke-A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Pooled it
- A systematic review on the usability of robotic and virtual reality devices in neuromotor rehabilitation: patients' and healthcare professionals' perspective.BMC health services research · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of robotic upper limb treatment after stroke on cognitive patterns: A systematic review.NeuroRehabilitation · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on upper limb motor recovery after stroke: an overview of systematic reviews.Frontiers in neurologyPooled it
- Trial
- Variants of active assist robotic therapy: feasibility of virtual assistance and proprioceptive training as gauged by their effects on success and motivation during finger movement training after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2025Trial
- AGREE: an upper limb motorized exoskeleton for restoring arm functions: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2025Trial
- A randomized controlled trial of timing and dosage of upper extremity rehabilitation in virtual environments in persons with subacute stroke.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- The effect of sequential combination of mirror therapy and robot-assisted therapy on motor function, daily function, and self-efficacy after stroke.Scientific reports · 2023Trial
- The Impact of Robotic Therapy on the Self-Perception of Upper Limb Function in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Computer Vision for Movement Observation and Recovery Enhancement (C-MORE): Box and Blocks Test.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Do predictors of motor recovery differ between robotic and conventional post-stroke rehabilitation?Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Article
- Effectiveness of Robot-Assisted Versus Conventional Occupational Therapy on Changes in Upper Extremity Function After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury (Armeo X-over Trial): Study Protocol of a Randomised Crossover Trial.Methods and protocols · 2026Article
- Model predictive game control for personalized and targeted interactive assistance.Communications engineering · 2026Article
- Modern Upper-Limb Rehabilitation Interventions in Stroke Patients with Spasticity.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
7 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe aim of the present study was to to assess the relative effectiveness of the various types of electromechanical-assisted arm devices and approaches after stroke.
methodThis is a systematic review of randomized controlled trials with network meta-analysis. Our primary endpoints were activities of daily living (measured e.g. with Barthel-Index) and hand-arm function (measured e.g. with the Fugl-Meyer Scale for the upper limb), our secondary endpoints were hand-arm strength (measured e.g. with the Motricity Index) and safety. We used conventional arm training as our reference category and compared it with different intervention categories of electromechanical-assisted arm training depending on the therapy approach. We did indirect comparisons between the type of robotic device. We considered the heterogeneity of the studies by means of confidence and prediction intervals.
resultsFifty five randomized controlled trials, including 2654 patients with stroke, met our inclusion criteria. For the primary endpoints activities of daily living and hand-arm function and the secondary endpoint hand-arm strength, none of the interventions achieved statistically significant improvements, taking into account the heterogeneity of the studies. Safety did not differ with regard to the individual interventions of arm rehabilitation after stroke.
conclusionThe outcomes of robotic-assisted arm training were comparable with conventional therapy. Indirect comparisons suggest that no one type of robotic device is any better or worse than any other device, providing no clear evidence to support the selection of specific types of robotic device to promote hand-arm recovery.
trial registrationPROSPERO 2017 CRD42017075411.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.