Physical fitness training for stroke patients (Review) - Update Software

Sims 2009 (Continued)
unstable insulin dependent diabetes
Interventions Intervention: participants in the intervention group attended a community gymnasium
twice/week for 10 weeks and trained under the supervision of an accredited fitness trainer.
The training programme entailed moderate strengthening exercises (3 sets of 8/10 repetitions
at a resistance of 80% of 1-RM) using machine weights for the major upper and lower
limb muscle groups. Resistence was increased when participants were able to complete 3
sets of 10 repetitions of an exercise
Control: the wait-list controls received usual care and were asked not to do any resistancetype
exercise (content of the ’usual care’ intervention not specified)
Setting: community-based setting
Outcomes Included outcomes: CES-D; AQoL, SF-12
Other outcomes: SIS; SWLS; LOT-R; Self-Esteem Scale; RLOC
Notes Sample size calculation performed but sample obtained was smaller than that of the calculation
(45 participants instead of 60). Small sample size. At baseline the intervention
group had significantly lower depression scores than the comparison group. Impact of social
interaction was not assessed
The participants in the control group received more attention than simply usual care as
they received a 10-week strength assessment
Risk of bias
Bias Authors’ judgement Support for judgement
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Not reported
Smith 2008
Methods Design: randomised trial of cardiorespiratory training versus non-exercise intervention -
after usual care (i.e. treadmill gait training versus weekly telephone calls - the main purpose
of the trial was to explore the potential additional benefits of treadmill training)
Randomisation: random matched-pair assignment. The investigator assigned a number to
suitable participants and placed them in 1 of the intervention groups by ’the roll of a dice’
(odd control, even treatment), or systematically allocated a participant to match a randomly
assigned participant in the alternate group (minimisation?)
Allocation concealment: unclear
Blinding: clinical assessor not blinded
Intention-to-treat: not reported, but no withdrawals
Measurements: at the end of the intervention (4 weeks) and then 6 weeks later
Withdrawals: none
Participants Randomised: 20 participants; age range 42 to 72 years
Intervention: 10 participants, 8 males and 2 females; mean age 57.8 years (SD 7.0); time
from stroke : 8 participants < 1 year and 2 participants ≥ 1 year < 2 years
Control: 10 participants, 4 males and 6 females; mean age 56 years (SD 8.3); time from
stroke : 8 participants < 1 year and 2 participants ≥ 1 year < 2 years
Physical fitness training for stroke patients (Review)
Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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