SynthesisActa neurologica Belgica2022
Wearable powered exoskeletons for gait training in tetraplegia: a systematic review on feasibility, safety and potential health benefits.
Synthesis in Acta neurologica Belgica, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparative efficacy of robotic exoskeleton and conventional gait training in patients with spinal cord injury: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2025Pooled it
- Clinical management of complications after chronic spinal cord injury: a review of recent advances.Annals of medicine · 2026Review
- Retrospective safety evaluation of the atalante exoskeleton in a clinical setting in patients with tetraplegia and high paraplegia.Spinal cord series and cases · 2026Article
- Feasibility and safety of training with an exoskeletal robotic device for Japanese individuals with spinal cord injuries: a retrospective study.Journal of physical therapy science · 2026Article
- Four-Week Exoskeleton Gait Training on Balance and Mobility in Minimally Impaired Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Bilateral tibial fractures associated with powered exoskeleton use in complete spinal cord injury - a case report & literature review.Spinal cord series and cases · 2024Review
- Intensity of overground robotic exoskeleton training in two persons with motor-complete tetraplegia: a case series.Spinal cord series and cases · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRecent developments in wearable powered exoskeletons (WPE) allow gait training (GT) for patients after spinal cord injury (SCI). Two recent meta-analyses on GT using WPE showed promising results for paraplegic patients (PP). To this date, there is no review focusing on tetraplegic patients (TP).
objectivesThe main objective of this review was to assess feasibility and safety of GT using WPE in patients after tetraplegia.
methodThis systematic review was performed according to PRISMA-S guidelines. Two independent reviewers searched several databases for studies on GT using WPE for TP. Primary outcomes concerned the number, type and severity of reported adverse events (AE). Secondary outcomes examined potential additional health benefits (AHB).
resultsForty-one studies (6 randomized trials, 24 cohorts and 11 cases series) were selected, including 166 TP, 26 with complete lesions (AIS A) and 71 with level of injury above C6. Minor AE were reported in 17 TP, concerning cutaneous, cardiovascular or musculoskeletal systems. Occurrence of AE is significantly higher in a PP population compared to TP (p value = 0.001). Only one major AE concerned a TP. Studies of low level of evidence suggest that GT using WPE could lead to improvements in walking parameters, cardiovascular efficiency and to a reduction of spasticity. DISCUSSION AND
conclusionGT using WPE is a feasible and safe intervention for TP. To minimize occurrence of AE, a good patient selection and preparation is proposed. Future clinical trials should be performed to confirm current trends in terms of efficacy and potential AHB.
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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.