No evidence exists at present to support the use of amphetamine after stroke .
INTRODUCTION The use of drugs to enhance recovery ( " rehabilitation pharmacology " ) has been assessed .
Amphetamine can improve outcome in experimental models of stroke , and several small clinical trials have assessed its use in stroke .
Amphetamine fails to facilitate motor performance and to enhance motor recovery among stroke patients with mild arm paresis: interim analysis and termination of a double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.
PURPOSE To assess the effects of d-amphetamine on motor facilitation and recovery in stroke patients with mild arm paresis receiving the Arm Ability training . METHODS Thirty-one stroke patients with mild arm paresis were r and omly assigned to either ( a. ) receiving placebo or ( b. ) d-amphetamine twice a week 2 hours before Arm Ability training sessions for three weeks . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE time needed to perform TEMPA tasks , a measure of upper extremity performance reflecting everyday life tasks . Secondary measures : aim ed movements , tapping , and a 10 m walkway as well as motor performance during training sessions . RESULTS The interim efficacy analysis of 26 stroke patients who completed the study intervention showed overall arm motor recovery both from pre to post test after 3 weeks of training and from pre test to follow-up 1 year later . No superior effect of d-amphetamine over placebo could be substantiated for either motor facilitation during training or motor recovery ( post training or long-term ) . D-amphetamine exerted mild effects on blood pressure . Serious adverse events were not observed . CONCLUSIONS d-Amphetamine failed to facilitate motor performance during training sessions , to promote skill acquisition with training tasks , and most importantly to enhance motor recovery among patients with mild arm paresis after stroke
No evidence exists at present to support the use of amphetamine after stroke .
INTRODUCTION The use of drugs to enhance recovery ( " rehabilitation pharmacology " ) has been assessed .
Amphetamine can improve outcome in experimental models of stroke , and several small clinical trials have assessed its use in stroke .