Comparing Advanced with Basic Telerehabilitation Technologies for Patients with Rett Syndrome-A Pilot Study on Behavioral Parameters

Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality with Treadmill in Subjects with Rett Syndrome: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Rett syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that can severely affect motor functioning, particularly walking. Previous training programs proposed treadmills as tools to increase walking endurance of patients with Rett syndrome, but these trainings did not include virtual reality (VR). The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a short treadmill training coupled to VR in girls with Rett syndrome.

METHODS

Nine patients with Rett syndrome underwent a 3-day treadmill walking program performed in semi-immersive VR. During the training, the happiness index and performance metrics were collected. At the end of the training parents filled out the Suitability Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ) and, when feasible, patients underwent a gait assessment.

RESULTS

All the subjects recruited performed the three GRAIL sessions and parents showed a good satisfaction and considered the integration of treadmill and VR a good possibility for future rehabilitative programs. Participants showed greater satisfaction in environments requiring walking and their attention increased during training sessions, hypothesizing the feasibility of longer trainings with treadmill and VR. Data collected from gait analysis provided insights, although preliminary, concerning differences in gait pattern amongst the recruited subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the small sample size and limited training duration, the paper suggests that a walking training with a treadmill combined with VR can represent a new strategy for Rett rehabilitation.

Telerehabilitation by Videoconferencing for Balance and Gait in People with Parkinson's Disease: A Scoping Review

Although supervised and real-time telerehabilitation by videoconferencing is now becoming common for people with Parkinson's disease (PD), its efficacy for balance and gait is still unclear. This paper uses a scoping approach to review the current evidence on the effects of telerehabilitation by videoconferencing on balance and gait for patients with PD. We also explored whether studies have used wearable technology during telerehabilitation to assess and treat balance and gait via videoconferencing. Literature searches were conducted using PubMed, ISI's Web of Knowledge, Cochrane's Library, and Embase. The data were extracted for study design, treatment, and outcomes. Fourteen studies were included in this review. Of these, seven studies investigated the effects of telerehabilitation (e.g., tele-yoga and adapted physiotherapy exercises) on balance and gait measures (e.g., self-reported balance, balance scale, walking speed, mobility, and motor symptoms) using videoconferencing in both assessment and treatment. The telerehabilitation programs by videoconferencing were feasible and safe for people with PD; however, the efficacy still needs to be determined, as only four studies had a parallel group. In addition, no study used wearable technology. Robust evidence of the effects of telerehabilitation by videoconferencing on balance and gait for patients with PD was not found, suggesting that future powered, prospective, and robust clinical trials are needed.

From assistive to inclusive? A systematic review of the uses and effects of technology to support people with pervasive support needs

BACKGROUND

Although particular technologies can enhance the quality of life (QoL) of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (we use the term pervasive support needs), their objectives and outcomes are understudied. A systematic literature review was therefore conducted to explore this topic.

METHOD

A search of four databases yielded 64 studies. Data were extracted on their general characteristics, methods and sample characteristics as well as the technology types, QoL domains and application within ecological systems. A narrative synthesis was subsequently developed.

RESULTS

Most of the studies applied assistive technology (AT) and focused on personal development and self-determination on an individual level.

CONCLUSIONS

Technology can enhance the QoL of people with pervasive support needs. There are indications that although MT and UD-based technology are used in practice, few studies have examined these technologies. Therefore, there is a knowledge gap regarding the kinds of technology that are used in practice.

Tele-Neuropsychology: From Science to Policy to Practice

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of this paper is to accelerate the number of randomized experimental studies of the reliability and validity in-home tele-neuropsychological testing (tele-np-t).

METHOD

We conducted a critical review of the tele-neuropsychology literature. We discuss this research in the context of the United States' public and private healthcare payer systems, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding system's telehealth lists, and existing disparities in healthcare access.

RESULTS

The number of tele-np publications has been stagnant since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are less published experimental studies of tele-neuropsychology (tele-np), and particularly in-home tele-np-t, than other tele-np publications. There is strong foundational evidence of the acceptability, feasibility, and reliability of tele-np-t, but relatively few studies of the reliability and validity of in-home tele-np-t using randomization methodology.

CONCLUSIONS

More studies of the reliability and validity of in-home tele-np-t using randomization methodology are necessary to support inclusion of tele-np-t codes on the CMS and CPT telehealth lists, and subsequently, the integration and delivery of in-home tele-np-t services across providers and institutions. These actions are needed to maintain equitable reimbursement of in-home tele-np-t services and address the widespread disparities in healthcare access.

Artificial intelligence-driven virtual rehabilitation for people living in the community: A scoping review

Virtual Rehabilitation (VRehab) is a promising approach to improving the physical and mental functioning of patients living in the community. The use of VRehab technology results in the generation of multi-modal datasets collected through various devices. This presents opportunities for the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques in VRehab, namely the measurement, detection, and prediction of various patients' health outcomes. The objective of this scoping review was to explore the applications and effectiveness of incorporating AI into home-based VRehab programs. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science databases, and Google Scholar were searched from inception until June 2023 for studies that applied AI for the delivery of VRehab programs to the homes of adult patients. After screening 2172 unique titles and abstracts and 51 full-text studies, 13 studies were included in the review. A variety of AI algorithms were applied to analyze data collected from various sensors and make inferences about patients' health outcomes, most involving evaluating patients' exercise quality and providing feedback to patients. The AI algorithms used in the studies were mostly fuzzy rule-based methods, template matching, and deep neural networks. Despite the growing body of literature on the use of AI in VRehab, very few studies have examined its use in patients' homes. Current research suggests that integrating AI with home-based VRehab can lead to improved rehabilitation outcomes for patients. However, further research is required to fully assess the effectiveness of various forms of AI-driven home-based VRehab, taking into account its unique challenges and using standardized metrics.

Balance telerehabilitation and wearable technology for people with Parkinson's disease (TelePD trial)

BACKGROUND

Balance impairments, that lead to falls, are one of the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Telerehabilitation is becoming more common for people with PD; however, balance is particularly challenging to assess and treat virtually. The feasibility and efficacy of virtual assessment and virtual treatment of balance in people with PD are unknown. The present study protocol has three aims: I) to determine if a virtual balance and gait assessment (instrumented L-shape mobility test) with wearable sensors can predict a gold-standard, in-person clinical assessment of balance, the Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest); II) to explore the effects of 12 sessions of balance telerehabilitation and unsupervised home exercises on balance, gait, executive function, and clinical scales; and III) to explore if improvements after balance telerehabilitation transfer to daily-life mobility, as measured by instrumented socks with inertial sensors worn for 7 days.

METHODS

The TelePD Trial is a prospective, single-center, parallel-group, single-blind, pilot, randomized, controlled trial. This trial will enroll 80 eligible people with PD. Participants will be randomized at a 1:1 ratio into receiving home-based balance exercises in either: 1) balance telerehabilitation (experimental group, n = 40) or 2) unsupervised exercises (control group, n = 40). Both groups will perform 12 sessions of exercise at home that are 60 min long. The primary outcome will be Mini-BESTest. The secondary outcomes will be upper and lower body gait metrics from a prescribed task (instrumented L-shape mobility test); daily-life mobility measures over 7 days with wearable sensors in socks, instrumented executive function tests, and clinical scales. Baseline testing and 7 days of daily-life mobility measurement will occur before and after the intervention period.

CONCLUSION

The TelePD Trial will be the first to explore the usefulness of using wearable sensor-based measures of balance and gait remotely to assess balance, the feasibility and efficacy of balance telerehabilitation in people with PD, and the translation of balance improvements after telerehabilitation to daily-life mobility. These results will help to develop a more effective home-based balance telerehabilitation and virtual assessment that can be used remotely in people with balance impairments.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial was prospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05680597).

Implementation of Home-Based Telerehabilitation of Patients With Stroke in the United States: Protocol for a Realist Review

BACKGROUND

Stroke is a common cause of mortality and morbidity. Insufficient and untimely rehabilitation has been associated with inadequate recovery. Telerehabilitation provides an opportunity for timely and accessible services for individuals with stroke, especially in remote areas. Telerehabilitation is defined as a health care team's use of a communication mode (eg, videoconferencing) to remotely provide rehabilitation services. Telerehabilitation is as effective as facility-based rehabilitation; however, it is infrequently used due to implementation barriers.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to explore the interaction between the implementation strategies, context, and outcomes of telerehabilitation of patients with stroke.

METHODS

This review will follow four steps: (1) defining the review scope, (2) literature search and quality appraisal, (3) data extraction and evidence synthesis, and (4) narrative development. PubMed via MEDLINE, the PEDro database, and CINAHL will be queried till June 2023 and supplemented with citation tracking and a gray literature search. The relevance and rigor of papers will be appraised using the TAPUPAS (Transparency, Accuracy, Purposivity, Utility, Propriety, Accessibility, and Specificity) and Weight of Evidence frameworks. The reviewers will extract and synthesize data iteratively and develop explanatory links between contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes. The results will be reported according to the Realist Synthesis publication standards set by Wong and colleagues in 2013.

RESULTS

The literature search and screening will be completed in July 2023. Data extraction and analysis will be completed in August 2023, and findings will be synthesized and reported in October 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

This will be the first realist synthesis, uncovering the causal mechanisms to explain how, why, and to what extent implementation strategies impact telerehabilitation adoption and implementation.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/47009.

Technologies to support the diagnosis and/or treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review

In recent years, there has been a great interest in utilizing technology in mental health research. The rapid technological development has encouraged researchers to apply technology as a part of a diagnostic process or treatment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs). With the large number of studies being published comes an urgent need to inform clinicians and researchers about the latest advances in this field. Here, we methodically explore and summarize findings from studies published between August 2019 and February 2022. A search strategy led to the identification of 4108 records from PubMed and APA PsycInfo databases. 221 quantitative studies were included, covering a wide range of technologies used for diagnosis and/or treatment of NDDs, with the biggest focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The most popular technologies included machine learning, functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalogram, magnetic resonance imaging, and neurofeedback. The results of the review indicate that technology-based diagnosis and intervention for NDD population is promising. However, given a high risk of bias of many studies, more high-quality research is needed.

Individualized Remotely Supervised Motor Activity Programs Promote Rehabilitation Goal Achievement, Motor Functioning, and Physical Activity of People with Rett Syndrome-A Single-Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Gross motor function in Rett syndrome (RTT) is always limited. The complex clinical picture typical of most people with RTT requires intensive and specific rehabilitation programs. Previous reports on remotely supervised motor activity programs suggested positive outcomes for this population. The current article describes the impact of a remote-supervised motor activity program carried out by family members of individuals with RTT on achieving rehabilitation goals and improving gross and fine motor functioning and daily physical activity.

METHODS

Forty subjects with RTT followed a three-month remotely supervised motor activity program carried out by their family members at home after a three-month baseline period. After the end of the intervention, a three-month wash-out period was implemented. Rehabilitation goal achievement, motor functioning, and level of daily physical activity were measured.

RESULTS

82.4% of rehabilitation goals were achieved or overachieved. Participants' motor functioning and physical activity significantly increased after the intervention (p ˂ 0.001). Improvements were maintained after the wash-out phase.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed intervention was effective for people with RTT of various ages and severity levels. The results highlight the need for lifelong, individualized, daily based, and professionally supervised rehabilitation possibilities for individuals with RTT.

Pain in Rett syndrome: a pilot study and a single case study on the assessment of pain and the construction of a suitable measuring scale

BACKGROUND

Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a severe, neurodevelopmental disorder mainly caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene, affecting around 1 in 10,000 female births. Severe physical, language, and social impairments impose a wide range of limitations in the quality of life of the patients with RTT. Comorbidities of patients with RTT are varied and cause a lot of pain, but communicating this suffering is difficult for these patients due to their problems, such as apraxia that does not allow them to express pain in a timely manner, and their difficulties with expressive language that also do not permit them to communicate. Two studies, a pilot study and a single case study, investigate the manifestation of pain of patients with RTT and propose a suitable scale to measure it.

AIMS OF THIS STUDY

The first aim was to describe pain situations of RTT by collecting information by parents; the second aim was to test and compare existing questionnaires for non-communicating disorders on pain such as Pain assessment in advanced demenzia (PAINAD), the Critical care pain observation tool (CPOT) and the Non-communicating Children's Pain Checklist-Revised (NCCPC-R) to assess which of them is best related to the pain behavior of patients with RTT. The third aim was to identify the specific verbal and non-verbal behaviors that characterize pain in girls with Rett syndrome, discriminating them from non-pain behaviors.

METHOD

Nineteen participants, eighteen girls with RTT and one girl with RTT with 27 manifestations of pain were video-recorded both in pain and base-line conditions. Two independent observers codified the 90 video-recording (36 and 54) to describe their behavioral characteristics.

RESULTS

The two studies showed that the most significant pain behaviors expressed by girls with respect to the baseline condition, at the facial level were a wrinkled forehead, wide eyes, grinding, banging teeth, complaining, making sounds, crying and screaming, and the most common manifestations of the body were tremors, forward and backward movement of the torso, tension in the upper limbs, increased movement of the lower limbs and a sprawling movement affecting the whole body.

CONCLUSION

The results of the two studies helped to create an easy-to-apply scale that healthcare professionals can use to assess pain in patients with Rett's syndrome. This scale used PAINAD as its basic structure, with some changes in the items related to the behavior of patients with RTT.