Research Article: Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the contralesional dorsal premotor cortex on upper limb function in severe ischaemic stroke: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Abstract:
Introduction Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an evidence-based treatment widely recommended to promote hand motor recovery after ischaemic stroke. However, the therapeutic efficacy of rTMS over the motor cortex in stroke patients is currently restricted and heterogeneous. This study aimed to determine whether excitatory rTMS over the contralesional dorsal premotor cortex (cPMd) facilitates the functional recovery of the upper limbs during the postacute stage of severe ischaemic stroke. Methods and analysis This study will be conducted as a single-blind, controlled, randomised study, in which 44 patients with poststroke hemiplegia with a course of disease ranging from 1?week to 3 months and Fugl-Meyer upper limb score ?22?will be enrolled. The study participants will be randomly assigned to groups A (n=22) and B (n=22). The two groups are based on routine rehabilitation training and drug treatment; group A will be treated with low-frequency (1?Hz) rTMS over the contralesional primary motor cortex (cM1), and group B will be treated with high-frequency (10?Hz) rTMS over cPMd. For 2 weeks, rTMS will be administered once a day, 5?days a week. The primary outcome is the Fugl-Meyer assessment of the upper limb. The secondary outcomes include the Arm Subscore of the Motricity Index, Hong Kong edition of Functional Test for the Hemiplegic Upper Extremity, Modified Barthel Index and Modified Ashworth Scale score of the paralysed pectoralis major and biceps brachii. Furthermore, data of diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI will be collected. These outcomes will be assessed before and after the completion of the intervention. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (2020?SR-266). The findings of this study will be spread through networks of scientists, professionals and the general public as well as peer-reviewed scientific papers and presentations at pertinent conferences. Trial registration number ChiCTR2000038049
Introduction:
Ischaemic stroke has emerged as a critical public health problem as the main contributor to significant long-term impairment. 1 2 Among them, the age group of 40–70 years is the primary high-risk age range for stroke, which has relative homogeneity, stability and representativeness. 3 Movement disorders after ischaemic stroke not only reduce the activities of daily living (ADL) and affect the health of patients but also place a heavy strain on the society as a whole. 2 4 Hypofunction of the upper limbs is one of…
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