Contralesional Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Does Not Enhance Upper Limb Function in Subacute Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial
Table 2
Outcomes assessed before the first session of treatment (Pre), after the last session of treatment (Post), and three months later (Post3m): intention-to-treat analysis, Generalized Estimating Equation model. Median and interquartile ranges are given.
Active
Sham
values
Outcomes
Pre
Post
Post3m
Pre
Post
Post3m
Group
Time
Interaction
NIHSStotal
6 (3; 13)
3 (3; 11)
4 (3; 11)
5 (4; 10)
5 (3; 10)
4 (1; 8)
0.173
<0.001
<0.001
NIHSS5
2 (1; 4)
1 (0; 4)
1 (1; 4)
2 (1; 4)
1 (1; 4)
1 (1; 4)
0.866
<0.001
<0.001
FMA
46 (8; 56.8)
51 (16.8; 61.5)
52 (16.8; 61.8)
22.5 (8.8; 43.5)
38.5 (20.5; 55.8)
43 (16.8; 57.3)
0.015
<0.001
<0.001
mRS
3 (2; 4)
3 (2; 4)
3 (2; 4)
4 (3; 4)
3 (3; 3)
3 (2; 3)
0.689
0.012
0.910
BI
80 (47.5; 95)
85 (57.5; 100)
92.5 (61.3; 100)
65 (47.5; 77.5)
77.5 (67.5; 90)
85 (75; 100)
0.654
<0.001
<0.001
MASshoulder
0 (0; 1)
0 (0; 0)
0 (0; 0)
0 (0; 1)
0 (0; 0)
0 (0; 0.5)
0.717
0.010
0.176
MAS elbow
0 (0; 1.25)
0.5 (0; 1)
0.5 (0; 1.25)
1 (0; 2)
1 (0; 2)
1 (0; 2)
0.279
0.588
0.975
MAS wrist
0.5 (0; 2.25)
0 (0; 1)
0 (0; 1.25)
1 (0.8; 2)
1 (0; 2)
2 (0; 2)
0.148
0.039
0.296
MAS fingers
0.5 (0; 1.25)
0 (0; 1)
0 (0; 1)
1 (0; 1)
0 (0; 1)
1 (0; 1.3)
0.587
0.016
0.702
MALquantitative
1.05 (0; 1.97)
2.41 (0; 3.5)
2.25 (0; 3.89)
0.1 (0; 0.4)
0.6 (0; 1.9)
0.8 (0; 3.5)
0.261
0.087
0.211
MALqualitative
0.89 (0; 1.67)
2.16 (0; 3.58)
2.41 (0; 3.65)
0 (0; 0.2)
0.7 (0; 1.3)
0.9 (0; 3.1)
0.264
0.095
0.183
MoCA
18 (9; 24)
19 (10; 23)
21 (8; 24)
16 (8; 20)
20 (12; 23)
19 (13; 23)
0.728
<0.001
0.001
tDCS: transcranial direct current stimulation. NIHSS total: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale total score (0-42). NIHSS5: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, motor score (0-5). FMA: Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Motor Recovery after Stroke, upper limb motor score. mRS: Modified Rankin Scale. BI: Barthel Index. MAS: Modified Ashworth Scale. MALqualitative: subscale qualitative of Motor Activity Log. MALquantitative: subscale quantitative of Motor Activity Log. MoCA: Montreal Cognitive Assessment.
