Ertelt 2007.
| Methods | Randomized clinical trial | |
| Participants | Participants were recruited from the local Rehabilitation Center 16 participants: 8 experimental, 8 control Inclusion criteria: confirmed diagnosis of a first‐ever ischemic stroke in the territory of the medial cerebral artery, sustained more than 6 months prior to entering the study Exclusion criteria: patients older than 76 years, with hemorrhagic stroke or ischemic lesions in the territory of posterior or anterior cerebral artery, impaired level of consciousness (confusion, stupor, coma), severe to moderate aphasia, anosognosia or neglect, amnesia or dementia, depression Mean (SD) age: experimental group: 57.16 (8.73) years and control group: 55.40 (10.77) years Stroke details: first ischemic stroke in the territory of the medial cerebral artery Stroke phase: chronic |
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| Interventions | Experimental group ("action observation therapy"): carefully watched video sequences containing daily life hand and arm actions for 6 minutes that were followed by repetitive practice of the observed actions for another 6 minutes using the same objects as shown in the video film Control group: matched the experimental treatment with the exception that the participants watched sequences of geometric symbols and letters instead of action sequences Sessions were 90 minutes, 18 rehabilitation sessions on consecutive working days |
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| Outcomes | Outcomes recorded at baseline, post‐intervention, and 8 weeks after the end of intervention Upper limb function: FAT, WMFT Quality of life: SIS Functional imaging: fMRI measurements |
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| Notes | ‐ | |
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Randomization was done, but no information of how it was done |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Authors did not report if there was allocation concealment |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | Low risk | No blinding, but the outcome is not likely to be influenced by lack of blinding |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | Authors did not report if there was blinding of outcome assessment |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | There was no exclusion of participants after randomization. fMRI measurements were analyzed in 7 participants in the experimental group and 6 participants in the control group |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | There is no trial registration, but the outcomes were significant, and there was no selective reporting within the study |
| Other bias | Low risk | |