Lessons learned from conducting a pragmatic, randomized, crossover trial on robot-assisted gait training in children with cerebral palsy (PeLoGAIT).

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To investigate the effectiveness of outpatient robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) in ambulatory children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Methods

Children were randomized to two different intervention sequences within a pragmatic crossover design. They performed five weeks of RAGT (3 sessions per week) and five weeks of usual care (UC). Dimension E of the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM E) as the primary outcome as well as Dimension D (GMFM D), and timed walking tests were assessed before and after each treatment sequence and after a 5-week follow-up.

Results

The trial was stopped early because of recruitment problems. We included 16 children with a mean age of 11.3 years (6.0-15.3 years). GMFM E median (IQR) change scores were -0.7 (-2.8 to 3.5) after RAGT

SUBMITTER: Ammann-Reiffer C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7458505 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature