Transcranial electrostimulation with special waveforms enhances upper-limb motor function in patients with chronic stroke: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Table 1 Clinical and demographic characteristics of study participants

	Sham NIBS (N = 12)	Real NIBS (N = 12)	Total (N = 24)	p value
Age (years)
Mean ± SD	65.92 ± 13.98	62.08 ± 15.58	64.00 ± 14.61	0.53
Median	67.5	65.5	66.5
Sex (M/F)	7/5	9/3	17/7	0.67
Stroke etiology (ischemic/hemorrhagic)	8/4	8/4	16/8	1.00
Affected hemisphere (right/left)	7/5	7/5	14/10	1.00
Time since stroke (month)		8	7
Mean ± SD	18.00 ± 17.42	20.25 ± 14.74	19.13 ± 15.82	0.34
Median	9.5	14	11
FMA-UE baseline
Mean ± SD	45.17 ± 17.18	37.50 ± 20.54	41.33 ± 18.93	0.37
Median	51	39	43.50
JTT (total time, s) baseline
Mean ± SD	179.54 ± 90.79	209.71 ± 100.27	194.62 ± 94.81	0.62
Median	135.76	195.67	144.30
FNT baseline
Mean ± SD	29.25 ± 15.86	20.46 ± 16.55	24.85 ± 16.47	0.20
Median	32.75	23.00	27.25

Sham NIBS sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) + intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) with conventional rehabilitation, Real NIB tDCS + iTBS with conventional rehabilitation, SD standard deviation, M/F male/female, FMA-UE Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity, JTT Jebsen–Taylor test, FNT Finger-to-Nose test, p value = difference between the sham NIBS group and real NIBS group

ISSN: 1743-0003