Recovery after ischemic stroke: Effects of FuekFone home-based program on upper limb and cognitive function.
Yaowalak Kumkwan, Ketsarin Utriyaprasit, Thitipong Tankumpuan and 2 others
PMID 39830918WHAT IT FOUND
Ischemic stroke patients at home using a TV game program had improved upper limb and cognitive scores over six weeks, but with no control group, natural recovery cannot be ruled out.
Key findings
01Upper limb Motor Assessment Scale scores and MoCA scores improved significantly over the 2-, 4-, and 6-week assessments (P < 0.001).
02Compared with discharge and 2 weeks, upper limb and MoCA scores were significantly improved at 4 and 6 weeks (P < 0.05).
03Median total Motor Assessment Scale score was 3.5 at discharge, 11.0 at 2 weeks, 14 at 4 weeks, and 15.5 at 6 weeks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
No control group, so the observed improvement cannot be separated from natural recovery or usual outpatient rehabilitation. Small sample. Participants came from university hospitals in Thailand, so generalisability is limited. The program may be difficult for older patients or caregivers with low technology skills. The paper reports inconsistent pairwise results, so the timing of significant change is unclear. Follow-up was short.
Declared interests
Nothing to declare. The authors declare no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude the program caused recovery. The study had no control group, so natural recovery after stroke cannot be separated from the games.