Table 1.
Variability in participants, interventions and outcomes
| Taylor 1971 | Lincoln 1985 | Hajek 1993 | Dirette 1999 | Edmans 2000 | Mazer 2003 | |
| Participants | 78 people from USA randomised: entered 65, analysed 47 Mean age whole sample 58.5 years Groups "comparable" in terms of sex distribution, but no numbers stated Mean 55.2 days since stroke |
33 people from UK were analysed: 21 (64%) had stroke, and 6 (18%) each had head injury and SAH Mean age 50 years (17 to 69 years) 17 (52%) of all participants male Mean 2.7 months (SD 1.8) since stroke |
20 participants from Canada Age and sex not reported separately for randomised participants 1 to 5 months since stroke |
30 people from USA 2 (7%) participants post‐CVA, others were trauma‐related Mean age 38 years (21 to 56 years) 22 (73%) of all participants were male Mean 5 months (2 to 12 months) since injury |
80 people from UK: analysed 79, 1 died before completion Mean age 69 years Overall 40 (50%) male Mean 34 days (14 to 84 days) since stroke |
97 people from Canada randomised; analysed 86 Overall mean age 66 years Overall 70 (72%) male Mean 78 days since stroke |
| Interventions |
Intervention: sensory stimulation Experimental group: individually tailored programme directed to patients' perceptual and cognitive deficits Control group: treatment directed at patients' motor deficits. Motor skill tasks were completed until functional skills were achieved 20 treatment days Separate teams of therapists worked with control and experimental groups in physical therapy and occupational Therapy Co‐interventions not reported |
Intervention: sensory stimulation Experimental group: practiced various perceptual tasks of the type commonly used in occupational therapy departments Control group: the same amount of therapy time, but carried out activities that were designed to improve physical rather than perceptual abilities 4 hours per week over 4 weeks |
Intervention: sensory stimulation Experimental group: Bracy's computerised visuospatial training package, which comprised 7 different visuospatial exercises Control group: routine rehabilitation therapies provided by the hospital 3 x 30‐minute sessions per week over 4 weeks 2 trained research assistants (professional background unknown) All participants received routine rehabilitation therapies provided by the hospital, including physiotherapy and occupational therapy treatment |
Intervention: sensory stimulation coupled with strategy training Experimental group: received 4 sessions of an 'IQ Builder' computer programme together with instruction in the use of 3 compensatory strategies Control group: given the same computer programme for the same length of time, but did not receive instruction in the use of compensatory strategies Frequency: 1 hour per week over 6 weeks (only 4 weeks involved active therapy) Profession of 'therapist': occupational therapist Co‐interventions: regular attendance at outpatient "cognitive rehabilitation program" |
Intervention: sensory stimulation and functional training Sensory group: practiced perceptual tasks to produce improvement on tasks with similar perceptual elements (to treat the impairment) Functional group: patients repeatedly practicing everyday tasks (to treat the symptom) 2.5 hours per week (5 x 30 minute sessions) over 6 weeks Occupational therapists (research OT and ward‐based OT) Co‐interventions reported: additional general occupational therapy treatment |
Intervention: 2 types ‐ sensory stimulation coupled with strategy training Experimental group: comprised 4 commercially available computerised software programmes (Tetris, Othello, Mastermind, Jigs@w Puzzle) commonly used by occupational therapists to retrain perceptual and cognitive functions Control group: computerised treatment using the 'Useful Field of View' (UFOV) that targeted visual processing speed, visual divided attention and visual selective attention 2 to 4 sessions per week (each 30 to 60 minutes) for 20 sessions, thrice weekly Occupational therapist Co‐interventions: all participants received 4 sessions of physical retraining on the Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment work simulator |
| Outcomes | End of intervention ADL, but not in analysable format End of intervention perception impairment, but not in analysable format |
End of intervention ADL End of intervention perception impairment Specified primary outcome(s): no 16 tests of RPAB and ADL presented with no apparent hierarchy Time points for outcomes: end of intervention Total number of outcomes: 17 ‐ includes 16 measures of perception in RPAB Assessed by third party "unaware of the treatment group" |
End of intervention ADL End of intervention perception impairment Specified primary outcome(s): no ‐ impairment and activity level measures with no explicit hierarchy Time points for outcomes: end of intervention Total number of outcomes: > 40 in battery Assessed for neuropsychological battery, functional indices and mobility |
End of intervention perception impairment Specified primary outcome(s): no ‐ multiple outcomes with no specified hierarchy Time points for outcomes: 1 week after end of intervention Total number of outcomes: 9 ‐ computer‐based tasks with measures of speed and accuracy, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task and the Matching Accuracy Test Assessed by third party: computer‐based assessments with data collected by staff member (speech pathologist) blinded to allocation |
End of intervention ADL End of intervention perception impairment: yes Adverse events: death 5 "main outcomes": RPAB, Barthel ADL and Edmans ADL Time points for outcomes: end of intervention (6 weeks) Total number of outcomes: 25 reported Assessed by third party, independent assessor |
End of intervention ADL: no scale reported or measured, but driving evaluation End of intervention perception impairment: yes Specified primary outcome(s): pass/fail of on‐road driving evaluation Time points for outcomes: end of intervention Total number of outcomes: 31 Assessed by third party, independent occupational therapist for impairment, plus driving instructor for on‐road evaluation |
ADL: activities of daily living CVA: cerebrovascular accident RPAB: Rivermead Perceptual Assessment Battery SAH: subarachnoid haemorrhage SD: standard deviation