Table 4.
Subgroup analyses on age, total hours, trial length, and duration based on FMA-UEa measures.
| Outcomes, moderating factors, and between-group/within-group comparison | Number of trials analyzed and number of participants involved | Mean difference (95% CI) | P value | I2 (%) | |||||||||||||
| FMA-UE |
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Age (years) |
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Younger (≤60.52 years) |
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Between-group | 3; N (VRTb)=301, N (CONc)=150 | 5.34 (2.18 to 8.50) | .0009 | 0 |
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Within-group | 4; N=352 | 6.96 (4.64 to 9.29) | <.001 | 48 |
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Older ( > 60.52 years) |
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Between-group | 5; N (VRT)=154, N (CON)=151 | 1.96 (–1.50 to 5.41) | .27 | 0 |
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Within-group | 5; N=154 | 11.93 (8.54 to 15.33) | <.001 | 42 |
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Total dosage (hours) |
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< 15 |
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Between-group | 2; N (VRT)=45, N (CON)=45 | 0.79 (–4.90 to 6.47) | .79 | 0 |
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Within-group | 2; N=45 | 13.90 (8.09 to 19.71) | <.001 | 0 |
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≥15 and ≤30 |
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Between-group | 3; N (VRT)=56, N (CON)=54 | 9.67 (4.19 to 15.15) | .0005 | 0 |
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Within-group | 4; N=107 | 11.14 (2.99 to 19.30) | <.001 | 72 |
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> 30 |
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Between-group | 3; N (VRT)=354, N (CON)=202 | 2.95 (0.06 to 5.84) | .05 | 0 |
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Within-group | 3; N=354 | 7.07 (4.76 to 9.38) | <.001 | 0 |
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Trial length (weeks) |
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< 4 |
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Between-group | 2; N (VRT)=45, N (CON)=45 | 0.79 (–4.90 to 6.47) | .79 | 0 |
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Within-group | 2; N=45 | 13.90 (8.09 to 19.71) | <.001 | 0 |
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≥4 and ≤6 |
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Between-group | 5; N (VRT)=392, N (CON)=239 | 4.02 (1.39 to 6.65) | .003 | 15 |
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Within-group | 5; N=392 | 10.88 (6.07 to 15.68) | <.001 | 67 |
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> 6 |
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Between-group | 1; N (VRT)=18, N (CON)=17 | 11.0 (0.13 to 21.87) | .05 | N/Ad |
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Within-group | 2; N=69 | 4.15 (–1.78 to 10.09) | .17 | 0 |
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Duration of a session (hours) |
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< 1 |
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Between-group | 2; N (VRT)=45, N (CON)=45 | 0.79 (–4.90 to 6.47) | .79 | 0 |
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Within-group | 2; N=45 | 13.90 (8.09 to 19.71) | <.001 | 0 |
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≥1 and <2 |
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Between-group | 3; N (VRT)=56, N (CON)=54 | 9.67 (4.19 to 15.15) | .0005 | 0 |
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Within-group | 4; N=107 | 11.14 (2.99 to 19.30) | <.001 | 72 |
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≥2 |
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Between-group | 3; N (VRT)=354, N (CON)=202 | 2.95 (0.06 to 5.84) | .05 | 0 |
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Within-group | 3; N=354 | 7.07 (4.76 to 9.38) | <.001 | 0 |
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Frequency (days/week) |
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≤4 |
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Between-group | 3; N (VRT)=61, N (CON)=59 | 7.01 (–1.67 to 15.68) | .11 | 58 |
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Within-group | 4; N=112 | 11.17 (3.14 to 19.20) | .006 | 73 |
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> 4 |
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Between-group | 5; N (VRT)=394, N (CON)=242 | 3.48 (0.87 to 6.09) | .009 | 0 |
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Within-group | 5; N=394 | 7.86 (5.69 to 10.03) | <.001 | 27 |
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aFMA-UE: Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment.
bVRT: virtual reality therapy.
cCON: conventional therapy.
dN/A: not applicable.