Title : Efficacy of Robot-Assisted Training (RAT) on upper limb functional rehabilitation in stroke patients: A meta-analysis
Abstract:
Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of robot-assisted training (RAT) in upper limb functional recovery after stroke and provide evidence-based medical support for its clinical application.
Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating RAT for upper limb rehabilitation in stroke patients were systematically searched across PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, WanFang Data, CNKI, and VIP databases from January 2000 to January 2025. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess study quality and bias risk. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.
Results: Fourteen RCTs involving 1,275 patients were included. Compared to control groups, RAT significantly improved upper limb motor function and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients, with statistically significant differences in FMA-UE [SMD=0.69, 95% CI (0.34, 1.05), P=0.0001] and MBI [SMD=0.95, 95% CI (0.75, 1.15), P<0.00001]. No significant differences were observed in MAS, FIM, or WMFT scores. Subgroup analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in FMA-UE and MBI scores after 4 and 12 weeks of RAT, as well as in both acute and chronic stages of stroke.
Conclusion: Current limited evidence suggests that RAT significantly enhances upper limb motor function and ADL in stroke patients. However, due to the restricted quantity and quality of included studies, further high-quality research is required to validate these findings.
