BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) allows an intensive gait training in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). There are few evidences on the effectiveness of RAGT in adults with CP. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of RAGT on gross motor function in adolescent and adult patients with bilateral spastic CP and to compare the effect of RAGT with conventional kinesiotherapy. METHODS: Forty-seven patients (mean age 21.2±5.33 years) with bilateral spastic CP were divided into two groups. Twenty-one patients underwent 20 therapeutic units of RAGT and 26 patients underwent 20 therapeutic units of conventional therapy/training (CON). The following parameters were evaluated before (V1) and after the therapy (V2): dimension A (lying and rolling), B (sitting), C (crawling and kneeling), D (standing), E (walking, running and jumping) of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88). In patients in the experimental RAGT group, these parameters were also evaluated 3–4 months later (V3). RESULTS: Comparing the mean improvements in endpoints in both groups (RAGT vs. CON) after 20 TUs, we observed the statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) and large effect size in all GMFM dimensions and total GMFM improvement in favour of the RAGT group. In RAGT patients, the improvement persisted even 3–4 months after RAGT (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the intensive RAGT regimen is more effective than conventional therapy in terms of improvements in gross motor functions in adolescent and adult patients with bilateral spastic CP.

Background: To date, there have been no published studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) in adolescent and adult patients with cerebral palsy (CP). The study´s aim was to analyse the cost-effectiveness of RAGT versus conventional kinesiotherapy (CON) from the health care provider’s perspective. Methods: We expressed the cost-effectiveness of RAGT in the Lokomat^® system after analysing the costs and effects of RAGT and conventional therapy through the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) based on a bicentric randomized controlled study, in which we demonstrated that the intensive RAGT regimen is more effective than conventional therapy in terms of improvements in gross motor functions in adolescent and adult patients with bilateral spastic CP. Results: According to the calculated ICER ratio for Lokomat^®, an additional improvement per unit of effect (1% in GMFM), compared to conventional therapy, results in an average cost increase of EUR70.38 per patient in a therapeutic block consisting of 20 TUs (Therapeutic Units). Conclusion: However, from the comprehensive analysis of the results and evaluation of the long-term effects, it follows that RAGT applied in adolescent and adult patients with bilateral spastic CP is not only more effective in terms of evaluation of monitored clinical parameters, but in the long term it is also more cost-effective compared to conventional therapy.

We assessed lipid and lipoprotein profiles, along with oxidative stress (OS) parameters, in patients within the crucial 24 h period following an acute ischemic stroke (AIS), comparing those with and without coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to correlate these measures with clinical condition scales (NIHSS, mRS) post-AIS. This study included 27 AIS patients without CAD (AIS group) and 37 AIS patients with CAD (CAD-AIS group). Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Lipoprint system), we determined plasma LDL and HDL subfractions. Spectrophotometric methods were used to assess plasma antioxidant capacity, lipoperoxides, homocysteine (HC) levels, paraoxonase1, and catalase activities. We also measured urine isoprostanes and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx) with commercial kits. CAD-AIS patients had notably higher HC levels, while there were no significant differences in lipoprotein subfractions and OS parameters between both groups. In the AIS group, mRS scores showed negative correlations with catalase, GPx activities, and total cholesterol. In the CAD-AIS group, atherogenic lipoproteins (IDLC, LDL2, LDL3–7) exhibited a significant positive correlation with mRS. This study underscores the role of dyslipidemia and OS in the development of AIS and CAD. It emphasizes the complex connections between specific biomarkers and post-stroke clinical outcomes. Our results suggest a significant impact of CAD treatment on lipid profile but not on homocysteine levels. The traditional narrative associating high cholesterol as the ultimate risk factor for cardiovascular diseases needs to be challenged, at least with respect to neurological outcomes. These insights may guide more targeted therapeutic approaches.

BACKGROUND To date, there have been no published studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) in adolescent and adult patients with cerebral palsy (CP). The study´s aim was to analyse the cost-effectiveness of RAGT versus conventional kinesiotherapy (CON) from the health care provider’s perspective.METHODS We expressed the cost-effectiveness of RAGT in the Lokomat® system after analysing the costs and effects of RAGT and conventional therapy through the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) based on a bicentric randomised controlled study, in which we demonstrated that the intensive RAGT regimen is more effective than conventional therapy in terms of improvements in gross motor functions in adolescent and adult patients with bilateral spastic CP.RESULTS According to the calculated ICER ratio for Lokomat®, an additional improvement per unit of effect (1% in GMFM), compared to conventional therapy, results in an average cost increase of EUR70.38 per patient in a therapeutic block consisting of 20 TUs (Therapeutic Units).CONCLUSION However, from the comprehensive analysis of the results and evaluation of the long-term effects, it follows that RAGT applied in adolescent and adult patients with bilateral spastic CP is not only more effective in terms of evaluation of monitored clinical parameters, but in the long term it is also more cost-effective compared to conventional therapy.

Background: Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is the second most common stroke subtype and carries high mortality and disability. Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are mechanistically linked and both implicated in ICH pathogenesis, yet their relationship has not been characterised in the acute ICH setting using modern imaging criteria. Methods: Consecutive patients with CT-confirmed acute ICH were prospectively enrolled at two neurology centres. In all 118 patients, cSVD was assessed using the Fazekas score on brain CT. A predefined subgroup of 26 clinically stable patients with atypical ICH or inconclusive CT findings underwent MRI with cSVD assessment using STRIVE-2 criteria (total SVD score). Overnight pulse oximetry (WristOx2) was performed within 7 days of onset. Results: SDB was present in 89.0% of the full cohort. Significant cSVD on CT (Fazekas ≥ 2) was found in 64.4%; SDB prevalence was similar between significant and non-significant cSVD groups (89.5% vs. 88.1%; p = 0.819). In the MRI subgroup ( n = 26), significant cSVD (SVD score ≥ 2) was observed in 73.1%. SDB was present in all 19 patients (100%) with significant cSVD vs. 5/7 (71.4%) with non-significant cSVD ( p = 0.015). Conclusion: SDB and cSVD are common in acute ICH. The full CT cohort showed no association between SDB and CT-visible white matter disease. A selected MRI subgroup suggested a possible association between SDB and a higher MRI cSVD burden; however, this finding requires confirmation in a systematically imaged, adequately powered cohort using formal sleep testing.