Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41255083›Full record

Trial reportEuropean journal of pain (London, England)2026

Graded Motor Imagery (GRAMI Protocol) for Phantom Limb Pain: A Randomised Clinical Trial of Home-Based Intervention.

Sandra Rierola-Fochs, Marc Terradas-Monllor, Sergi Grau-Carrión, Mirari Ochandorena-Acha, Eduard Minobes-Molina, Jose Antonio Merchán-Baeza

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European journal of pain (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05083611 (The Effectiveness of Graded Motor Imagery in Phantom Limb Pain in Amputee Patients), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

NCT05083611 nacompletednot on this map

The Effectiveness of Graded Motor Imagery in Phantom Limb Pain in Amputee Patients (GraMI Protocol)

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of Vic - Central University of CataloniaRan2023 to 2023Enrolled36ConditionsPhantom Limb PainArmsGraMI
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sandra Rierola-FochsResearch Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3677-975X
Marc Terradas-MonllorResearch Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.
Sergi Grau-CarriónDigital Care Research Group, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, Centre for Health and Social Care Research, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Vic, Spain.
Mirari Ochandorena-AchaResearch Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.
Eduard Minobes-MolinaResearch Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.
Jose Antonio Merchán-BaezaResearch Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhantom limb pain (PLP) affects 64% of individuals who have undergone amputation. Various theories explain its development, leading to different treatments, including graded motor imagery. This study analyses the effectiveness of a home-based intervention protocol based on graded motor imagery (GraMI protocol) as a treatment for phantom limb pain.

methodsA randomised, controlled, home-based, assessor-blinded clinical trial was conducted on individuals over 18 years old, with limb amputation, pharmacologically stable and discharged home. Participants followed the GraMI protocol or continued their current treatment for 9 weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline, postintervention and at 3 months follow-up, evaluating PLP, quality of life, functionality and depressive symptoms.

resultsThe study enrolled 36 participants (mean age of 58.5 years), including 27 individuals with lower limb amputation and nine with upper limb amputation. Vascular issues were the primary cause, and 17 participants experienced preamputation pain. None of the participants in the control group received any PLP treatment during the study. Compliance with treatment among participants in the experimental group during the laterality recognition and explicit motor imagery phases was satisfactory, averaging 91.4%. Significant differences were found between groups in PLP (p = 0.02), persisting 12 weeks postintervention (p = 0.05). Within-group analysis revealed clinically significant PLP improvements postintervention (p = 0.003), and these improvements remained statistically significant 12 weeks later (p = 0.006). There were no statistically significant differences observed in the rest of the variables.

conclusionThe GraMI protocol shows effectiveness in reducing PLP in individuals who have undergone amputation, with this effect persisting 12 weeks after the intervention. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Phantom limb pain significantly impacts individuals with amputations, yet effective treatments remain limited. This study is crucial as it evaluates a home-based graded motor imagery (GraMI) protocol, offering a noninvasive, accessible intervention. The randomised clinical trial demonstrates GraMI's effectiveness in reducing PLP, with lasting effects up to 12 weeks. By addressing PLP, this research contributes to improving patients' quality of life, functionality and psychological well-being. Its findings support integrating GraMI into rehabilitation programs, providing evidence for a cost-effective, home-based therapeutic option.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05083611.

Indexed as

Imagery, PsychotherapyPhantom LimbAdultAgedAmputation, SurgicalFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeTreatment Outcomegraded motor imagerypainphantom limb pain

Identifiers

PMID41255083
PMCPMC12627984

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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.