Verheyden 2013.
| Methods | Randomised controlled cross‐over trial Method of randomisation: Computer‐generated random list Blinding of outcome assessors: yes Adverse events: none Deaths: none Dropouts : 1 (in the experimental group) ITT: unclear | |
| Participants | Country: UK 20 patients Mean age: 71 years Inclusion criteria: Confirmed diagnosis of IPD, independent ambulation, living in the community Exclusion criteria: Other neurological conditions, DBS, impaired cognitive function, metal implants, pacemaker, history of epilepsy and medication altering cortical excitability | |
| Interventions | Each participant underwent two different conditions: (A) sham tDCS (1 mA) once for 15 seconds and (B) anodal tDCS (1 mA) once for 15 minutes over M1 of the dominant hemisphere | |
| Outcomes | Outcomes were recorded at baseline and at the end of intervention phase Balance performance (Berg Balance Scale) Gait performance (GAITRite) at maximal walking speed Corticomotor activity | |
| Notes | ||
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Computer‐generated random sequence (Verheyden 2014 [pers comm]) |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | Allocation was performed by a lab technician for each eligible participant immediately after signing the informed consent. The lab technician was not involved in recruiting or selecting participants (Verheyden 2014 [pers comm]) |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) Objective outcomes | Low risk | Participants were blinded, whereas personnel were not (Verheyden 2014 [pers comm]) |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) Subjective outcomes | Unclear risk | Participants were blinded, whereas personnel were not (Verheyden 2014 [pers comm]) |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Objective outcomes | Low risk | Outcome assessor was blinded (Verheyden 2014 [pers comm]) |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Subjective outcomes | Low risk | Outcome assessor was blinded (Verheyden 2014 [pers comm]) |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Subjective outcomes | Unclear risk | Not described by the author |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Unclear risk | All outcomes reported in the "methods" section have been reported; no protocol could be identified |
DBS: d eep brain stimulation EEG : e lectroencephalography ITT: i ntention‐to‐treat analysis M1: p rimary motor cortex MMSE : Mini Mental State Examination MR I: m agnetic r esonance i maging PD: Parkinson's disease tDCS: transcranial d irect c urrent s timulation UPDRS : Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale