Marangolo 2011.
| Methods | Randomised double‐blinded cross‐over trial | |
| Participants | Country: Italy
3 participants (1 woman) with single left hemispheric stroke, non‐fluent aphasia and no signs of apraxia of speech Inclusion criteria: native Italian proficiency, pre‐morbid right‐handedness, persisting symptoms for at least 6 months Exclusion criteria: acute or chronic neurological symptoms requiring medication |
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| Interventions | Each participant underwent 2 different treatment conditions (A: A‐tDCS, 1 mA; B: S‐tDCS, 20 minutes over the left inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's area)) in the following order: A: 5 days language therapeutic repetition task + A, 6 days' rest period, 5 days' language therapeutic repetition task + B B: 5 days language therapeutic repetition task + B, 6 days' rest period, 5 days' language therapeutic repetition task + A |
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| Outcomes | Outcomes were reported at baseline, 1 week, 1 month and 2 months after the end of intervention: ‐ naming accuracy in per cent (continuous; ranging from 0 to 100 with a higher value indicating better performance) |
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| Notes | ||
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Computer‐generated random list (Marangolo 2012) |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | None (Marangolo 2012) |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) Objective outcomes | Low risk | Objective outcome measures: participants were blinded to stimulation condition, whereas personnel were not |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Objective outcomes | Low risk | Objective outcome measures: outcome assessor was unaware of stimulation type |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Objective outcomes | Low risk | Objective outcome measures: all participants apparently completed the study. No treatment withdrawals, no trial group changes and no major adverse events stated |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Unclear risk | All outcomes listed in the 'Methods' section reported, no protocol could be identified |
| Other bias | Low risk | No other bias identified |